How to Win a War
by SecondLieutenant
Summary: Things took a grim turn for the Nohrian army. Their resolve has become weak, and Hoshidan eyes tirelessly forage their hiding place in the woods. If nothing is done, their demise will be imminent. One final proposal, a grasp for any sort of advantage, has been proposed: send a spy to Castle Shirasagi to gather as much information possible. Full summary inside.
1. Retainer for a Retainer

**Full Summary: Things took a grim turn for the Nohrian army. Their resolve has become weak, and Hoshidan eyes tirelessly forage their hiding place in the woods. If nothing is done, their demise will be imminent. One final proposal, a grasp for any sort of advantage, has been proposed: send a spy to Castle Shirasagi to gather as much information possible.**

 **There are only two who are rightfully fit for the job: the frenemies, Nina and Soleil. Their cross-continental journey to the capital will be long, rough, and merciless, but it will ultimately save the lives of those dear to them.**

 **It is natural natural that, on a trip drenched in blood, sweat, and tears, the two would find not just themselves, but each other.**

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 **Started: September 21, 2016**

 **Chapters 1-15 Revised and Edited for Grammar: January 19, 2018- March 23, 2018**

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 **Author's Note: Hello there. I feel the need to inform you that this story does have tie-ins with a previous work of mine, "Days in the Life of a Thieving Youth". I did not group these two stories in a series because it is not absolutely necessary to read "Days in the Life of a Theiving Youth" in order to understand and enjoy this story. Some events that occurred in "Days in the Life of a Thieving Youth" are referenced, but it, by no means, is not anything major.**

 **Thank you, and please enjoy the story. Any sort of feedback is welcome.**

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 **How to Win a War**

Two ancient kingdoms, tall and powerful as giants, were at war, and war was no clean type of thing. War was bloody. Dirty. Cold. An orphan creator. The sounds of war struck fear in the hearts of all whose ears it invaded. Hesitate for even a moment, and one may lose their life. War was not something to be taken lightly; only one side could win, and the loser... Bad things would happen to the losers, bad enough to make slavery seem like a warm, tropical island, maybe with a cool drink on the side.

Losing was not on the to-do list of Nohr, which was the reason why their leaders and generals met, gathered around a table beneath a lantern. Their numbers surrounded a map, a map of their sworn enemy, Hoshido, and homed in on key locations like a hungry falcon. They would argue over chess pieces, where to put them, where they should move, and where they should stay. The most hardened of them all, an aging man by the name of Gunter, stood at the head, his arms crossed as he listened to the bickers and quarrels.

Most terrible of all: they were in no favorable position.

"These are the types of situations I've warned about." The old man emerged from the shadows, gazing grimly down at his fellow soldiers. "We shouldn't concentrate our forces, especially our leaders, in one particular spot. All it takes is one ambush and our entire resolve can be wiped out."

"That makes no sense!" argued a woman, heavily armored. She too departed from the dark, prepared to challenge him. "If we were to split up and have the enemy concentrate their forces on a division, I can guarantee they won't survive. Numbers are not things we want to lose. Not now. We are far outnumbered by the enemy, so to allow ourselves to be picked off like flies is the most detrimental thing that can happen."

"That's war. I've seen this manner of tactics save our cause many times in my life, perhaps before you were even born. Though they will be making a tragic sacrifice, small divisions spaced across the land will slow the enemy. While they are distracted, other divisions move in and work to draw closer to the capital. All it takes is to have the prince's life taken and we have this war won. Likewise applies to our enemy."

All eyes darted to a lean figure who lingered in the darkness: the figure of the High Prince, Xander, and his face was just as grim as those who surrounded him.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush," he announced. "Whether we like it or not, our resolve is not in an advantageous position. Hoshido is breathing down our necks; all it takes is the wrong move and we run the risk of being attacked by a faction nearly five times our size. As Effie said, our survival is nowhere close to guaranteed. We need to find an effective strategy, and quickly."

"What do we do then?" asked another voice.

Another shadow lifted its head.

"We should move half of our army to occupy the captured fortress in the south. The position is not only defensive, but also well hidden and mostly forgotten about."

The other budged, making a rash motion.

"I disagree. They would suspect us to occupy that fortress for those very reasons. Therefore, they would launch an attack the moment it is fortified. It isn't a risk we can afford to take."

"Then there's nowhere safe!" exclaimed the other. "No matter where we go, there is no haven we can retreat to and rethink our strategy!"

"Not so fast, Laslow; remain calm." The small, but maturing, frame of Leo stepped out of the dark, his neck stiff. His studious eyes darted hesitantly down to the map spread across the table, and not a soul would dare to interrupt his powerful mind. Rather, they watched with hope filling their eyes; if someone were to come up with an ingenious maneuver, it would be the quiet, but calculating, Leo. Those cold eyes of his bore nothing but confidence. "Xander only said that we are in a position of disadvantage, not eminent danger. Anyone with a brain should know that it isn't wise to go without any advantages, so we must work to have at least one. It doesn't matter how small it is, just one can do the trick."

His adopted brother, Corrin, leaned in with interest.

"Reassuring thoughts, Leo. Do you have a proposal?"

Leo gave him a confident smirk.

"You're lucky I do," he replied and, ever so slowly, reached down with his delicate hand to take a piece on the map and lift it. Its butt hovered over the map, soaring over trees and rivers alike, leaping over landmarks, and surviving dangerous chasms. At last, it arrived at the capital of Hoshido, settling in its heart at Castle Shirasagi. Rather satisfied with himself, Leo lifted his gaze, searching for approval. Instead, all he received were mixed looks.

"You... want us to send only one person to the capital?" Effie spoke up, evidently puzzled. To her, Leo returned with a subtle nod.

"More like a small group. A squadron or a pair of spies, if you will."

The room appeared to be baffled by the proposal.

"Spies? You're kidding!"

"Not at all," Leo replied. "At this point, any information will be invaluable. If we have foreknowledge of anything the Hoshidans plan to do, we can devise clever and devastating counter attacks. Perhaps set up a guerrilla unit while the enemy is en route to a bait location. Should we play the cards correctly, we can pull ourselves out of this state of being outnumbered, and we will finally see things go our way."

Gunter appeared to take the idea with a rather wealthy dose of prejudice, for his brows furrowed and his arms crossed tightly.

"Assuming our spies make it back alive. I hate to even think of what would happen to them should they be captured."

"That is a risk, yes, but we have quite the arsenal of slithery personas, wouldn't you agree? I have confidence that my retainer, Niles, would make a great candidate, having been a thief in his youth."

The room looked amongst themselves, narrowing their eyes.

"And there's Beruka, an assassin."

"Yes, and Kaze, a former ninja of Hoshido. He would not only be difficult to find, but he'll also blend in."

Corrin watched the scene unfold before him with a frown, eyeing back and forth between speakers. He knew his army. He knew his army well. Thus far, everyone was naming adequate champions, but never did he hear the name that first popped in that head of his. It looked like he was going to have to say it.

"I do believe that all of these people would make great spies for the operation, but they are secondary." he approached Leo, looking sternly into his eyes before parting his lips again. "Rest assured. I know just the person for your plan."

That was how, the very next day, Corrin found himself wandering down the many rows of tents, counting in fear of having his choosing incorrect. Forty-four. The forty-fourth tent was what he was looking for, and he was fairly confident when his mental counter finally buzzed with his desired number. He paused before it, studying before finally tapping on the entrance flap with his toes.

"Knock knock. It's Corrin. Mind if we have a chat?" But there was no answer. The result was typical, seeing that it was quite the lovely day outside. It didn't come as a surprise to look into an empty tent. After all, the majority of the army was out and about, soaking in the pleasant summer sun. Chances were, his target was just another face in such a dense crowd. He found no reason to blame her, so he departed from the tent, yet to feel angered or frustrated.

Finding her was going to be a challenge; seldom could she be located when he needed her (since she was hiding the majority of the time), so he often had to wait until she returned to her tent for the night... which took a while. Corrin was in no mood to wait that long. Desperate times called for desperate measures, so he had to launch a plan he had backed up for such an occasion.

So, with a book still in his hand, Corrin made his way to the other side of camp, where he would see a small lake just outside its boundaries. A lone tent resided next to it, and it was precisely where he wished to go. Lucky for him, he wouldn't have to search far, for he saw a pair sitting at the lake's shore as he drew closer. In the pair, to his relief, would be the second person he wanted to see: Silas, who was spending time with his wife Nyx. They were lounging around, doing whatever it was they do, when they noticed him approaching. Being himself, Silas smiled and gave him a hefty wave.

"Hey Corrin! Nice day out, isn't it?"

"It is. I agree."

Not much had to be said between he and Nyx; a simple nod was enough of an exchange. Modestly, Silas unwrapped his arms from around the woman's shoulders, then rose to his feet. It was evident that he had seen the business that hid in Corrin's ruby eyes, for he conformed accordingly.

"Is there something you need me to do?"

Corrin nodded curtly.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your time with Nyx, but I do need a favor of you. If you can't help for whatever reason, don't feel pressured. I can easily find someone else and probably be just fine. I came to you first because I believe you would be the most effective."

Silas smiled easily.

"Of course. I don't mind helping you at all..." He flushed and turned to look back at Nyx. "I mean, so long as my other is okay with it." He chuckled then, scratching the back of his head gently. With a simple roll of the eyes, Nyx gave him a subtle nod, patting his calf affectionately.

"Just don't be too long," she murmured.

Thus, Corrin and Silas made their way to the square that quaint summer day. The center was the best place, Corrin decided, and had the two of them stop there. Before he did anything else, Corrin took the time to observe his surroundings. There were plenty of corners, he noticed with confidence, and there was one in particular that made him smile. She was going to be there. He just knew it.

"Alright, Silas," he began slowly. "I know this is going to sound weird, but... I need you to act close to me."

Silas did not appear to take the idea well.

"I'm sorry, but... Act close to you?"

"Yeah. I promise I'm not trying at anything weird, I just need to find someone. If we're acting like this, she's bound to show up sometime or another. She's kinda... um... drawn to this sort of stuff for some reason."

With a flush, Silas looked around, approaching him begrudgingly.

"Well... Whatever you say... What should I do?"

"For starters, get closer. No. Closer. Yeah, that's about right... um... Now, uh... I need you to be touchy. Make it subtle, though... like you're trying to be secretive." He found a hand on his shoulder. "Okay, that works."

"Now what?"

Corrin looked around, already noticing stares with a cringe. Nonetheless, he sighed, then shoved his head away as he flipped opened the book in his hands. Inside were passages scribbled in charcoal. He squinted his eyes as he skimmed through the gibberish, eventually finding one paragraph in particular that caught his interest.

"Um... It says here one character put his hand on the other's cheek... so... I guess I'll just..." He reached up to brush his fingers over Silas' jaw. "Just so you know, if you ever get uncomfortable, tell me to stop and we can call this off."

"You do know everything about this is uncomfortable, right?"

Corrin forced a smile on his mouth.

"Good point," he rasped, but mustered enough dignity to open his eyes and let his gaze wander over to the designated corner he was keen on keeping his attention to. Already, he saw a certain head peeking around the side of the building, watching them without drawing any attention to itself. Pleased, Corrin's eyes narrowed, and he pulled himself away. "Got her. Wait here."

"W-Wow... Already?"

Corrin had already run off, heading to the other side of the building. Without saying a word, he meticulously worked his way around, hugging its sides. Upon turning around the second corner, he was rather satisfied to see a certain young girl leaning against the wall, her back turned to him. She gazed intently to Silas, who patiently stood alone in the distant midst of the square. Though he would have never thought himself to be the sneaky type, creeping up behind her completely unnoticed was unusually easy.

"Nina."

She yelped, then scrambled a little ways away from him as she turned around.

"W-What! What do you want?" she hollered, only to pause, and the blush that had already spread across her cheeks deepened. "Ehe... Oh hi, Corrin, fancy seeing you here... Sorry for the outburst, you know how I am when it comes to-"

"I've been looking for you," he started, his eyes hardening. Almost immediately, he saw the red disappear, replaced by a sheet of white. Defensively, she held up her hands over her chest, gradually distancing herself from him.

"H-Hey, look here: I haven't been doing anything troublesome lately. Stealing? Not even once this week. I'm clean. I haven't done anything. I have an alibi. You can ask my father because he hasn't left me alone for days!"

"That's good to hear, but it's not why I wanted you."

She seemed to relax suddenly, the flush returning as she sunk back into her usual posture. In a slick motion, she slithered up to him, drawing uncomfortably close. A sly smile crept across her lips.

"Does it have anything to do with that scene you and Silas put on? Come on, don't be shy. If you need me to tell you there's nothing wrong with getting close to your guy friends, there's absolutely _nothing_ to worry about."

Corrin's eyes rolled.

"No, I'm not here to talk about that." He held up the book from which he had read the passages. "I came to talk about this."

He saw her freeze. It was as if she had been told how she was going to die... and she was going to die a painful, painful death. Or maybe the world was about to end. Regardless, the expression was mortified, and she immediately dove for the journal like an animal. Upon retrieval, she held it close to her chest, her arms wrapped around it tightly, and she stared at him with her wide eyes.

"H-How did you get this?" She trembled violently.

"Your mother gave it to me after she cleaned out your tent. She told me there were some impressive espionage tactics written inside. You're the author of this book, correct?"

She eased away.

"M-Maybe..." she answered. "It's nothing but a little hobby of mine that I like to keep _private._ " Her face hardened. "How much did you read?"

"Not much. Just the bits about your adventures in... eh... spying on people."

"So you didn't make it to page twenty-three."

"No."

She sighed then, sweet as a lark. Afterward she turned around, relieved.

"Oh, thank goodness. I was getting afraid there for a minute... Thanks for bringing this back if that's all you came here for."

Corrin closed the gap between them again.

"Um, no, actually. I came here because of what you wrote about in there. You know, all the things you'd figured out how to do? That's talent, and I need that talent."

"Talent?" Nina echoed, turning back around. "You're kidding yourself. Like I said, it's just a hobby... I guess..."

"And that's precisely why I need you. You're already skilled at something you're not even serious about, so I can only imagine what you would be like if you finally put your game face on."

Nina anchored a brow.

"Wow... This sounds pretty big, Corrin. I sure hope it's not. You know how I am, always letting my mind wander..."

"Trust me. I have a mission that's right up your alley, but you have to be willing to do it..."

Though Nina didn't necessarily reject the idea, Niles certainly did. He was one of the first people to walk into the war council tent, all with an uncharacteristic frown on his face. Funny enough, to Corrin, it seemed like one of the only instances he has seen him in such a foul mood. Something must have been wrong. Very wrong. Because of such a phenomenon, Corrin was more than willing to invest his time in watching as the man strode up to the planning table, where he slapped its surface furiously.

"So. Rumor has it you want to use my daughter as a spy," he growled. "I know I should be flattered that the fruit of my loins is qualified for such an important mission, but I have to say, I'm not happy at all. Why didn't you come ask me first? How would you like it if someone asked Kana to do the same thing without even giving you a second thought, hm? I know Nina doesn't like me, but I'm still her father. I'm responsible for her."

Corrin looked up from his map, and, awkwardly, made his way over to meet the man.

"I was planning on asking for your permission."

"When? After you've already sent her off to the capital of Hoshido?"

While chewing on his lip, the other eyed away, focusing more on the ground all of a sudden.

"Well..." he began weakly. "I suppose now is a good time to ask, right? Will you let your daughter travel to the Hoshidan capital?"

Niles crossed his arms.

"Absolutely not," he replied. "It's too dangerous for her to go alone. Do you have any idea what could happen to her if she makes even _one_ mistake? I'll confess that she has inherited some skill in sneakiness, but nobody's perfect. She's bound to make some sort of fluke at some point or another, no matter how good she is."

Running a palm over his chin, Corrin raised a brow.

"Okay... Would you be willing to let her go if I sent a few others to accompany her?"

"I don't know. It depends on who you want to send. Just so you know, the more that are going with her, the more likely they are to get caught. This is elementary stuff, Lord Corrin."

"Alright, alright. I'll send one partner with her, but I'm going to need some time to figure out who would be the best choice."

That was why Corrin decided to spend his time in the mess hall that night not eating nor chatting, but searching through the many faces that gathered around tables and counters. It was a busy night like usual, which only went to Corrin's favor; the more there were, the more he had to choose from.

Let's see...

Effie was a good choice. The woman was like a rock; she was difficult to break and it hurt when she was thrown at people. The only poor factor was the fact that she wasn't fast at all, nor very sneaky. Heck, the bulkiness and sound of her armor would certainly prove to be a disservice to Nina's work. She was out.

Percy may have been good too; he and Nina got along especially well, and his wyvern would make transportation easy. He was awful young, however. He was ultimately out as well.

Shigure was... Wait, no, he and Nina were a bit _too_ close. For the sake of being appropriate, maybe Nina should travel with another female.

Azura wasn't a good choice. If anything, it would be Nina that was protecting _her._

Charlotte... Hm, maybe not Charlotte. She and Nina didn't seem like they would mix well.

Likewise for Selena. Selena didn't get along with anyone, Nina included.

Sophie seemed to not be so bad. She was dedicated to being a good knight like her father... But her father was one of the problems. Corrin knew Silas well, and his intuition said that Silas, never in a million years, wouldn't send his precious daughter off somewhere so dangerous with only one other person. The other problem would be that rambunctious horse of hers... Not the best choice, but he felt like he was getting warmer.

Peri was obvious. That woman would probably end up murdering Nina before they even made it to the capital.

For fairly biased reasons, he didn't want Kana to go... as awful as that made him sound.

Then his eyes fell on Velouria. She sat in the men's side of the hall, chowing away on meat with her father. Yes, Velouria! Not only was she a friend of Nina's, she was also quite a powerful thing; it took a lot to scratch her while she was a beast, and, being a wolfskin, she had stealth experience from creeping behind prey. She was perfect, Corrin decided, so he wove his way through the crowd, his eyes fixed on his target.

The moment he arrived, Velouria had already turned around to receive him, wiping away bits and pieces of her food off of her face. She raised a brow.

"Hey," she greeted coolly, to which Corrin nodded quickly and returned with a smile.

"Hello, Velouria. Do you mind if I talk to you for a moment?"

"I don't care."

He pulled a chair back, seating himself beside her as he opened his mouth once again.

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"Hold on." She took one of the many slices of beef sitting on her plate, then swallowed it whole. "This doesn't have anything to do with that secret spy mission you're sending Nina on, does it?"

Corrin blinked.

"How did you know about it?"

"Everyone knows. Word spreads pretty quick around here." She helped herself to another slice.

"Well..." His eyes wandered away strangely. "I was wondering if you could be the one that accompanies Nina to the capital. I think you would be great at it since the two of you already get along."

Velouria stopped then, her dinner dangling out of her mouth as she gave him a puzzled glare. Corrin didn't like the looks of it, and for good reason; she quickly shook her head just a second later, her droopy ears fluttering back and forth.

"No way," she replied. "I don't like being too far from Daddy." Like a spaghetti noodle, she slurped the meat into her mouth. "Besides, Soleil already said she wanted the job anyway."

A brow couldn't help but sink.

Soleil.

He forgot to consider her, and it appeared to be for a good reason. When he wandered back over to the women's side of the hall, he already found her doing precisely what would make him refuse to consider her. Soleil sat next to Sophie, giggling as she pat her shoulder. The latter was visibly uncomfortable.

"Come on, Flower, are you sure you don't want my veggies? Why don't you let me feed 'em to you? Come on, it'll be fun!"

"I don't want your vegetables, Soleil. I've already told you, haven't I?"

"Not before now."

"Okay. I'll say it for real this time: I don't want your vegetables."

Soleil leaned closer.

"Or _do_ you?" she whispered. "Are you playing coy with me?"

It was by now Corrin had approached the two, giving the most questionable of the two a frustrated glare. The moment she caught eye of him, Soleil quickly laid off of the girl, modestly keeping her hands to herself and slapping on an all-too-innocent smile.

"Oh, hey Lord Corrin! I'm glad you showed up because I've-"

"Stop harassing her," Corrin grumbled, seating himself on the other side of the table.

"Not a problem, sir." She set her elbows on the table then, and leaned a little closer to him. Her eyes were wide with interest. "As I was saying, I'm happy you showed up. It must be fate. I've heard that you were looking for someone that could go with Nina on that little mission you have planned. So? Here I am! I'm here to say I want the job!"

Corrin narrowed his eyes.

"No," he grumbled. "I don't trust you with her."

"Oh, come on! I've already told you, haven't I? Nina and I are totally cool; we're friends."

To his surprise, Sophie of all people rose to her defense.

"She _was_ the one who saved Nina from drowning that one time when she was sick..." she mentioned passively.

"Yeah! Flower's right! You didn't promote me to the Hero class for nothing. When Nina and I went out for midnight dip in the bathhouse, the girl just passed out in the water. Had I not been there to pull her out, she'd be dead!"

 _"Would you please stop calling me Flower?"_

Corrin eyed the two, hesitant as always, before he leaned against his fist. In the meantime, he stared at Soleil in the eye. She had a rather honest face, but that was something that could easily be taken advantage of. He's never seen her trick anyone, though. He's only seen her have quite the way with words. An expert convincer, that girl, and her face most likely had a part to play. He wasn't going to be a tree that would bend beneath the weight, however, no matter how hard the winds began to blow. In some cases, he could see that Soleil would be a decent accomplice with Nina, but it only looked pretty in theory, not in real life. The two couldn't go long without getting into some sort of petty argument. After all, the two weren't friends, they were _frenemies._ Rivals, in a sense.

"What makes you want to go?"

Soleil's head lifted from her plate, where her fork was pushing around her meal.

"It doesn't seem like you'd have much luck finding someone to go with Nina. You know how she is, difficult to get along with. But she's my friend, and I don't want her going somewhere dangerous and getting hurt. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to her out there, especially when I had the chance to be there myself."

His eyes narrowed again.

"Never forgive yourself? So you're almost doing this for your own peace of mind?" he echoed.

"Sorta."

With a glance at the ceiling, Corrin's tongue ran over his lips. It was probably a mistake to open his mouth, but he opened it anyway.

"I'll think about it." And he rose from the table and made his way to the counter, ready to finally get a meal for himself. The action left him unaware of the conversation that stayed behind between the two girls. Sophie, almost immediately, shot Soleil a dirty look.

"Knowing you, you probably want to go so you can be alone with her."

In response to such an accusation, Soleil burst into a fit of laughter, pounding loudly on the table until she had almost the entire mess hall staring at her.


	2. The Delusion of Urgency

It was hours after dinner. The moon showed its pale face, allowing the land below to bask in its light. Many had gone to their tents until morning, either passing the time by doing whatever it was that they did, or just going straight to sleep. Regardless, it was good that they were not around to interrupt the seriousness which was the gathering in the main tent, where a single lantern hung overhead, staring down at a map. The map was the same as it was the night before, including the rook that invaded the center of the Hoshidan capital. It was the least of the gathering's worries.

"Well? I pray you've been able to recruit our spy?" Leo inquired as the chatter around him died. Shortly afterward, Corrin approached him, giving a slight nod.

"I have. In case you haven't heard, it was Niles' daughter I asked. She agreed to the proposal, but, of course, her father has some conditions he wants appeased before he's willing to allow us to commence the operation."

Niles, standing in the darkest corner, smirked.

"You heard 'em. Nina's not going alone. I want her to have at least one accomplice. Of course, I'll have to approve of whoever's going too..."

Leo turned back to Corrin.

"I suppose you've already taken the liberty of finding that accomplice?" he asked, to which Corrin cocked his head to the side awkwardly.

"Sort of..." he replied softly. "I wanted Velouria to go, but she wasn't willing. Instead, she directed me to Laslow's daughter. Apparently she's been interested in the job."

The room fell silent, filled with strange stares and glances alike. The more time that passed, the more awkward it grew... And suddenly, a rumble roused from Niles' corner. It started as a chuckle before it evolved into a laugh, which became a howl. In the meantime, he shook his head furiously and hugged his beloved sides.

"Ridiculous!" he exclaimed. "I'm not trying to sound rude at all, My Lord, but you and I both know this well: two girls have less of a chance of survival than a girl would with a boy. They're not too tough, know?"

"Hey now," piped another voice: the thick accent obviously belonged to Laslow. "It's true that Soleil isn't the best in the army, but she's definitely pulled her own weight around here. I believe she's perfectly capable of defending herself and a friend from pursuers. After all, she has quite a brutish technique with a sword. Not to mention she's recently done a brilliant job with adapting to axes..."

"Okay, but can she defend herself when she's surrounded by a hoard of men?"

"Of course not! Who _can_ defend themselves when they're outnumbered by trained soldiers?"

Keaton, amongst them, shrugged and cracked a playful smile.

"I dunno about _you_ guys, but I've seen _my_ girl take a few swords and spears like a champ. Is she special or something?" Everyone turned to him, their faces stern and cold. In response, the man's ears folded down, and his eyes darted to the ground. He was able to only utter beneath his breath. "Oh yeah, I forgot everyone's a damn critic..."

Having silenced him, everyone turned back to the center of the tent to fix their eyes on Leo, who remained at the map's side. His eyes said that he was deep in thought.

"I don't know," he muttered. "Sending two teenaged girls sounds optimistic. If we're going to send an accomplice, we need to assume they are to encounter the worst case scenario. We should plan accordingly."

It was then Xander decided to speak.

"I'll volunteer Siegbert then," he announced. "He's a well disciplined young man, so I assure you our spy will be kept safe. This will be a learning experience for him anyhow. When he grows older and has retainers of his own, he should be aware of the struggles and responsibilities they carry. He will learn to treat them with respect." He turned to Niles' dark corner. "If it makes you more comfortable, I will even consider lending him Siegfried so that he will be more effective against those that come against your daughter. Does my proposition meet your approval?"

Niles' silence appeared to be an answer in itself, but many would quickly be proven wrong when he finally lifted his head, giving Xander a subtle nod.

"It does. Send Xander's son with Siegfried and you have my absolute permission to let Nina be your spy. I'd go with her myself, but I really don't have the confidence. A strong young man sounds much better suited for the job. Besides... I'm sure she's told most all of you in here what she thinks of me..."

Leo nodded.

"Then we have reached a decision. Any who oppose the mission, do raise their hands."

When none rose to opposition, the group was satisfied, ending the meeting with a chant that wished for the life of Nohr.

The very next week, Nina would find herself out of her tent, minding her own silly business. Nina's business didn't consist of much, but it was generally one of a mixture of things. Sometimes, if she felt like it, she'd climb up a tree, perch herself on a branch, then yank a notebook out of her satchel to begin scribbling stories in them. Other times, if she felt like it, she'd go out for target practice with her bows, growing closer to mastering them. The rest of the time, which she mostly did, she'd go out and about, searching for anything that tickled her fancy, such as a brawny young man that was easy on the eyes.

In particular, Nina's business one day was archery. She did not perform quite as well as she usually did, seeing that the majority of her arrows hit the outermost rim of the target. It was a disappointment to her, but she could best blame it on nervousness. It was within her awareness that today was the day Corrin wanted her to head out in front of the army, headed straight for Castle Shirasagi in the Hoshidan capital. As cool and collected as she was most of the time, she had to admit that she was particularly anxious.

Thankfully, to settle her nerves, a voice called out behind her.

"Hello again, Nina," she heard. When she turned around, she would find Siegbert approaching her, leading his horse after him. He gave her a humble smile. "It's been a while since we last spoke."

Slowly, Nina lowered her bow.

"Yeah, it sure has..." She was a pinch too distracted to focus on giving him a sophisticated response. "Um... Wow. What happened to you?"

Had she not heard his voice, or see the distinct color of his horse, she would have thought he was an invader; instead of his usual black and violet armor, he wore a peculiar white top that flowed easily, and underneath there were pants that seemed to be made of the same material. Snug on his feet were a pair of thongs, and atop his head was arguably the silliest looking triangular hat she had ever seen. The horse, on the other hand, had been stripped of its armor, now packed down by baskets and crates. Having seen her notice such, Siegbert chuckled, then scratched the back of his neck.

"For starters, the hat belongs to Midori. The rest of these clothes belonged to Kaze," he mentioned, then held out his hand, offering a shake. "We're going to be traveling to the capital together, so it's important that we disguise ourselves as nothing more than merchants. I'm pleased to be working with you."

Nina studied the hand for a moment before taking it as requested. As their combined fist bobbed up and down, she felt an uneasy smile spread across her lips.

"Ah, so we're going to be spending some time together..." Her hand began to tremble, its pores spewing sweat. Siegbert's face dropped almost immediately.

"Is there something wrong with that? If there is, do tell, and I'll try to behave according to what makes you more comfortable."

"O-Oh, it's nothing... You just know how I am..."

"I'm... not exactly sure what you're talking about, I'm afraid."

"Ehe, stop lying. Yes you do."

"I'm afraid not..."

They both paused, noticing that their hands were still joined. Nina was the first the yank her palm away and wipe its sweat-drenched center against her pants.

"Well then! I guess it's n-nothing to worry about." She looked back up to him after straightening her posture, struggling to maintain a steady expression. "Ehe."

Siegbert's face returned to normal then, softening happily.

"Very well. Would you like to come with me? Uncle Corrin has readied your attire at the accessory shop. It's important you look the part as well."

She just hoped she wouldn't have to wear one of those dorky hats too.

One could only imagine the unexplainable reaction which was Soleil's when she saw Nina and Siegbert decked out in Hoshidan attire, both seated on a naked steed. A small crowd had gathered around the two: a good-bye party, one would call it. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. The moment her eyes fell upon it, she rushed over, prepared to see whatever it was that was going on and join in on the excitement.

Where there was always a smile, there was suddenly a frown. It looked like Corrin still wasn't convinced after her explanations. Oh well, she'd might as well make the best out of whatever she had. Thus, she wrestled her way through the surrounding veil of bystanders, eventually reaching the side of the horse. Simply flicking Nina's thigh caught her attention. Upon having her gaze, Soleil gave her a big grin, then a thumbs up.

"Don't do anything stupid," she laughed. "And be sure to write."

It was a foreign sight to see Nina smile back for a change.

"Thanks. You too."

At that moment, Corrin finally departed from the crowd and approached them, looking up at Siegbert. They exchanged a stare. It was a deep one.

"Take care of her, and trust your instincts. If anything looks dangerous to either one of you, don't do it. It's okay to play it safe. So long as you're both alive and well, I won't be angry if you return empty-handed. Got that?"

Siegbert, with his face stern, nodded.

"I understand," he replied. Siegfried sat in his lap, ready to be grabbed. "I would like to express my gratitude: thank you for giving me the opportunity to make my father, mother, and country proud. I will protect her with my all."

And it was settled. With one last "long live Nohr", the horse galloped away, departing from the walls of the castle and disappearing into the forest beyond. The moment it was out of the picture, Soleil immediately shot Corrin a nasty glare, narrowing her eyes and pooching her lips. Obviously, he knew why he received it, hence why he turned to her with a huff.

"Look, Soleil, I'm sorry. It wasn't my decision in the end. I suggested that we pick you, but nobody approved."

Soleil released a huff, then gripped her shoulder, rolling her arm around its joint in anticipation.

"Oh yeah? Who consists of this 'nobody', hm? I'm gonna give 'em all a piece of my mind..."

"Confidential, I'm afraid." He snatched her arm to keep it from rolling. "And you're not fighting anybody. If you need a job to keep your mind busy, I'd be more than happy to give you one."

Soleil, with her hands placing themselves on her hips, finally released a sigh, then shrugged. Some work would most likely do her good. Corrin was right when he assumed it would help keep her mind on other things.

"I guess I'll take whatever you have to offer..."

Washing dishes wasn't exactly what she had in mind, but there didn't seem to be any room for her to decide. She ended up in the kitchen as the sun was setting, away at a tub of water and surrounded by dirty dishes. Every once and a while, she'd peek out the window, observing the castle grounds and its vastness. It got darker out, she noted, and began to ponder...except Soleil wasn't exactly the type to ponder; she'd rather talk to herself than put up with silence. After all, silence was lonely, and Soleil wasn't the girl that would ever endure loneliness.

"Hm. I don't know how fast those two were going, so they could be just about anywhere by now. My guess would be around this Kitsune territory everyone's been talking about. Wow, a Kitsune! I wonder what they look like... if they exist. Well, Wolfskin exist, so I can't see why Kitsune can't. Who cares anyways? I'm sure Velouria and her Dad can take out those silly things anyways. A wolf is way stronger than a fox." She paused, lowering a dish back into the soapy water. "But can Siegbert and Nina? If there's an entire clan of them prowling around that land, it sure wouldn't look good for them..." With that said, she released a huff of air, then turned around, abandoning her work so that she can head for the door. "I'll go ask Lord Corrin."

She wouldn't admit that she was really just trying to get out of washing the dishes, not even to herself.

Soleil made her way out of the kitchen, crossed the empty mess hall, then crept across the dark lawn. Her feet would deliver her to an ominous tent, where she encountered a gathering. A rambunctious soul, she didn't hesitate to interrupt whatever serious manners that may have been discussed. In response, the group turned to her, giving her a nasty glare. One of them, whom she recognized as her father, rushed up to her.

"S-Soleil? What are you doing here?" he whispered. "This is an important meeting."

She slapped her palm, still wet from washing, on his shoulder, then nodded.

"I know. But I think Siegbert and Nina may already need some assistance. You sent them straight into Kitsune territory at night, didn't you?"

From a distance, she saw Corrin. He didn't strike her as happy, as justified by his stiffened expression. Slowly, he shook his head.

"I've already told you Soleil, I'm sorry you couldn't go. To answer your question, if it was really what you came here for, I've instructed Siegbert and Nina to set up camp just a little ways into the Kitsune territory. I doubt the Kitsune would go so far as to patrol the outskirts, much less attack those who are simply passing by. There's no need to go around causing a scene just because you're upset."

Her face was utterly innocent.

"I'm not upset... Okay, that was a lie... But I'm serious. Velouria once told me that the Kitsune are especially active during the summertime; they'll search every acre of their land for intruders that try to pick off some of their prey, outskirts included."

For the most part, it didn't seem as though anybody believed her, so they turned to Keaton, who stood on the other side of the tent, scratching behind one of his ears. Upon noticing their eyes, those ears perked, and he looked around awkwardly in the silence. He shrugged, then blinked.

"What? She's not lying, so what're you looking at me for? I thought ya'll already knew that." He cocked his head to the side. "I mean... I thought it was weird that you wanted them to cross through the hamlet, but hey, I figured you had everything under control, so I didn't bother saying anything." He turned to Corrin. "If you weren't aware of that while you were planning, you might want to pull them back. Just sayin'. Those Kitsune are rough on intruders, especially during the warm months."

Corrin blinked, turning back to the map in the center of the room. Though it was slight, a flush did spread across his cheeks.

"I _wasn't_ aware of this," he grumbled, turning back to Soleil. "But even so, time is of the essence. We aren't going to call for a retreat unless we absolutely have to. For emergencies, I sent a few fireworks with them. When they shoot them, it's a call for help. I knew they wouldn't do much good once they've gotten too far from camp, but at least they could be used as a signal if they ever become separated. They shouldn't have gotten out of our range yet. Unless we see the signal, we're going to leave them alone. Got that?"

Her eyes rolled off to the side.

"Sorry to sound annoying, but I have a bad feeling about this."

"Soleil." Corrin began to approach her, parting the crowd. His gaze was stern. "I don't like to involve younger troops in strategic affairs, but I suppose I'll make you an exception. The Hoshidan army has split into separate groups, and they're scouting the immediate area. We might be found soon, and when that happens..." His gaze narrowed. Deep down hid a pinch of worry. "We'll suffer massive casualties if we aren't completely wiped out. We can sustain ourselves for a little while, but not forever. What we need now is information. That is our top priority, and if we don't get that information, I don't know how things will play out. I don't aspire a thing to be in our favor. Do you understand now? I'm not refusing to go get them now because I'm the bad guy. We have no choice to take our chances, and that's the gist of it."

Though delayed, Soleil's expression became grim. They stared one another down before finally, to the room's surprise, a wide grin spread across her face like butter.

"Then we'll take 'em on with a smile if that happens," she replied, whipping around to face the exit. "I trust you, Lord Corrin, so I'll keep watch outside for their signal, sound good? Just so you know, if I do see one, I'm going to be the first one to leave, so don't be surprised if I've left by the time you're ready to go." Without any confirmation, she departed, disappearing into the night through the flap. Left behind, Corrin sighed, then turned back to face his group.

"Sounds like we may have a situation sometime or another tonight..."

Soleil spent her time wandering around camp, leaving a trail of awakening eyes. Systematically, she would peek into each tent, call out the inhabitant's name until they awoke, then invited them to watch with her. Needless to say, the majority of her intrusions were not welcomed.

"Hey! Ignatius! Wanna watch for the distress signal with me?"

His response was slow, following a long groan as he rolled over on his pallet.

"No... Please no..." So she went on to the next one.

"Pst. Percy. Do you-"

"I heard you when you asked Ignatius... Mmm... Maybe tomorrow..."

And the next...

"Midori?"

"No thanks."

And the next...

"Come on, Velouria. I know you're a night person! Come help me so-" Her nose would be met by the face of a ferocious beast, its teeth barren and clamped against each other. A steady growl rumbled in its throat, and its glowing red eyes stared coldly at her. She crawled closer to the girl, and with each step, her back arched steeper, her claws digging in the fresh dirt laying just outside her tent. The closer she got, the more Soleil nervously scrambled away.

 _"You woke me up."_

The other smiled.

"Haha... I'll go ahead and leave you alone now..."

So she went to the next one, shoving the flap up rashly.

"Flower! Hey, Flower. There's nobody out here that wants to go with me, but I know for a fact that you would. Just think about it... You, me, staring up at the stars... And when we see that firecracker, we'll jump on that horse of yours and rush off to the rescue. Sounds great, miright?"

Surprisingly, it wasn't long before Sophie finally stuck her head out of the tent, her eyes tired and groggy. She moaned quietly, rubbing her cheeks as she stretched.

"Mmm... You're annoying everyone. We're trying to sleep..."

Soleil was taken back, almost mortified.

"But didn't you hear me? We need to stay awake in case Siegbert and Nina need us!"

"If that's the way you feel..." She covered her mouth when she yawned, then began to fondle with her tangled hair. "You keep watch and I'll... Mmm... I'll help you if you see anything..." She slithered back inside, quiet as a mouse. "Just let me sleep..."

So Soleil was left alone, a state in which she would rarely linger. She ended up dragging a heavy quilt to the center of the lawn, plotted it down on the grass, threw a sheathed sword and an axe upon it, placed a lantern at its corner, and set herself down. Her eyes, attentive and sharp, looked up to the night sky, dark and peaceful, and her ears tuned in to the conversations of distant crickets. Any minute now, she figured, that firecracker would light up the darkness for an instant before dying. That would be her cue. One could accurately call her the very definition of prepared, keeping her weapons close and accessible. Should she need to, all she had to do was grab them and bounce to her feet. It didn't matter if she left the lantern or the blanket behind, for she was certain that at least someone would pick it up sometime the next day.

Odd. The way she thought about someone _else_ getting it the next day in her stead almost made it seem as though she wasn't planning to come back... In truth, she didn't want to. She wanted to go on that mission, and being rather flimsy against the winds of desire, chances were she was going to succumb to its every will. Was Corrin going to be happy about it? Likely not, but at least she would be punished knowing that dear old frenemy of hers was safe and sound. That, in her opinion, was far better than regretting something for the rest of her life.

When it came to passing the time, Soleil happened to be self-sustaining; she whiled away an hour or so searching for and naming the only four star constellations she knew. Once she grew bored of that activity, she entertained herself by playing with her new friend: a frog that had the misfortune of passing by. The frog got away, so at last she rose and began to practice strokes with her sword, swinging it over and over again at an imaginary enemy. She was getting the hang of holding a stronger, but much heavier, silver blade, so she decided to switch to the axe. Her skill wasn't quite as polished with it, so she kept on it for quite some time.

Nothing more happened for another good while. Again, Soleil found herself sitting on her blanket, lying boredly upon it. She became alarmed when a hefty yawn suddenly escaped her mouth, and she was quick to bring herself up, rubbing her eyes.

"No, no, no," she told herself. "Stay awake. I can sleep through a stampede, so a measly firecracker won't have anything on me..."

But the next thing she knew, she was sprawled out on the quilt again, her mouth hanging open as it ejaculated snores. Was it her fault? Not entirely. In her defense, the previous day was quite tiresome, so she had every right to be hungry for some well needed sleep... At least that was the best excuse she could muster. It sufficed, even though there weren't any judging eyes she could present it to. She was having the happiest of dreams, mostly consisting of stupid things, but her two favorites made a constant return: cute stuff, like kittens, and sports that involved fighting over a ball. Yep. She could immerse herself in those sorts of things all day long and never give a single complaint.

Except there _was_ one complaint, such as a sudden, and loud, bang that jolted her awake. When her eyes snapped open, her mind alert, the first thing they looked toward was the sky. Though she didn't see any color mingling with the stars, she knew the sound that echoed in her head well, and had felt it shake the ground. In an instant, with her heart burning, she hopped onto her feet, grabbed her weapons, and was off, running around camp like a maniac.

"Firecracker! Firecracker! Firecracker! Firecracker!" She paraded down the row of tents, stopping at the one she had written down in the banks of her memory, yanked open the flap, and dove inside. Not even a second later, she was wrapping her strong palms around a pair of wrists, then hoisting a body up so she could drag it. "Sophie! Sophie! Sophie! Sophie! Sophie! Sophie! They need us, they need us! The firecracker went off! Come on, get up! Get up!" She shook the girl awake as she departed from the tent, and in doing so, she threw her onto her feet and began leading her into the dark field.

"What do you mean you heard a firecracker?" Sophie, clearly not fully awake, moaned. "I didn't hear anything..."

Nonetheless, Soleil continued to drag her.

"Of course not. You were deep in sleep while _I_ was wide awake, searching and waiting for my cue." Her pace quickened, to Sophie's dismay, and they would soon find themselves in the stables, where they passed by excited steed after steed before halting in front of a brown one. From there, as Sophie was still shaking her dizzy head, Soleil rushed to the wall, where she grabbed a suit of armor, threw it at her, then went straight for a lance. Having Sophie gear herself didn't take long thanks to the constant pressure of one's screaming, and the two were on Avel before anyone could investigate the ruckus. Since Sophie was at the reigns, Avel refused to stride out of his containment, obviously not set on obeying. All it took was Soleil's hand to his rump to have him release a furious call, then kick into a sprint out of the stable.

Avel's hooves thundered down the lawn, his calls disrupting the peace of the night. By the time any had risen to investigate, they would find the grounds empty, for the horse that had passed through was already gone, disappearing into the thicket beyond the walls of camp.


	3. Unpopular Resolutions

Contrary to what others would believe, Nina and Siegbert were not having such of a distressed time... unless suffering from a sore back was included on that list. They had been on Siegbert's horse all day long, riding along the main trail, which consisted of nothing more than a simple dirt path that ran through the density of a forest. The more hours they traveled, the more they began to notice foliage change before their very eyes. Leaves were brown and orange. As foreign as the sight was, it was baffling.

It didn't take away from the boredom of traveling along, wearing clothes they've never worn, walking through a place they've never walked. With Siegbert keeping on course, Nina chose to spend her time dangling both feet over one of the steed's sides, jotting down words in her notebook. Every once in a while, Siegbert looked back at her, but failed to begin any sort of conversation. He knew Nina, believe it or not. She wasn't one that liked to talk... at least to him, he was sure. The last time they spoke, she was very weird. He could best assume she didn't like him, but he could never figure out why.

But then, suddenly, a thought barged into his mind. An important one, at that.

"When we begin to draw near to Hoshidan territory, it is best you endeavor to thoroughly hide your books and pencils, lest it will be known that we're from Nohr. The Hoshidans, so I'm told, do not use books to record literature and spells. They use scrolls, long pieces of paper, that they roll up and store in capsules, and they write using brushes and ink."

After sticking the end of her pencil in her mouth, Nina looked up to the golden sky, then clamped her binding shut.

"Sounds like a w-weird bunch to me."

"Yes, they are very different..." he trailed off, eyeing the ground. "Sometimes I wonder if that's one of the reasons why we're at war."

Nina's frown dropped, and she fixed her eyes down the trail.

"You mean... because we're d-different?" she echoed, to which Siegbert replied with a curt nod. She shrugged. "I've been told were at war because King Garon k-killed, um, the old emperor of Hoshido... W-Whatever his name was."

"Yes, Emperor Sumeragi. As much as I hate having such a heritage, it was my grandfather that ordered an ambush on Emperor Sumeragi, even after they agreed to meet on peaceful terms. To make matters worse, he even kidnapped Sumeragi's second eldest son, who we all know is Uncle Corrin." His eyebrows raised, and he began to mindlessly fondle the reigns in his hands. "As terrible as such a thing was, I still want to believe in grandfather. I wonder why he did what he did... and I begin to believe that it was because he was scared of Hoshido. They're so different than us, and things that are different are what scare us the most. Grandfather didn't understand who these people were, nor what they would eventually plan to do. Friend or foe? It's best to be safe than sorry."

His passenger nodded stiffly.

"Um... G-Good insight. Never thought about it that way myself." She cocked her head to the side. "Then again, I never really thought m-much, um, of it to begin with. Father just told me to join the army, so here I am... It was only because he, um, wanted to make sure I didn't go around causing trouble... or something like that..."

The steed's hooves continued to click along the path. The sky above them was gradually growing less golden and more dark, promising an unseeable night. Siegbert took notice with a glare, but quickly returned his attention to her. He anchored a brow and peeked over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of her thumbs wrestling over her lap.

"Pardon my asking, Nina, but I don't recall you being so fidgety. Is there a reason why you stammer as well?" Having his back turned to her, he wouldn't catch the flush that spread across her cheeks. Her eyes, olive green, widened, and she forced her face away from him, flustered.

"W-Well... Come on, stop being this way. You know why."

"For the last time Nina. No, I don't."

"Gah! Do I have to spell it out for you? You're a boy."

"Quite so. And?"

"I can't talk to you boys!"

"Disregarding your stammering, you were talking to me just fine a moment ago. Besides, I've seen you get along quite well with others such as Shigure and Percy. I don't believe you."

She released a huff.

"They're different," she replied curtly. "P-Percy's like a little brother to me, for starters, so he doesn't count."

"And Shigure?"

"It's complicated. Don't ask."

Siegbert blinked, then gave the horse a short motion to hasten. As their speed increased slightly, he cleared his throat.

"Very well," he replied modestly. "If if makes you more comfortable, simply think of me as one of your... Hm, let's see, what do you call it... erm... _girlfriends._ Perhaps even as a girl should it be needed. I'm willing to lay down my pride if it means we can have a smooth journey."

From behind sounded a rather exasperated gasp.

"Siegbert! That would make it even worse!"

In the end, though, they somehow ended up having a good laugh about it.

The two camped where Corrin had ordered: a specially marked place on the map, a place which sat at the bottom of a small bluff, plotted in the midst of a minor clearing. It was a decent place, secure since it had one of their six protected. After a brief session of setting up tents, Siegbert lit a lantern for the upcoming night. Constructing a fire would be foolish, he decided, since it would be best not to attract local Kitsune to their location.

Nina was the last to finish her tent, and when she was done, she stood tall with a sigh of relief, giving her shoulder a quick scratch as she went to retrieve a yumi from the unloaded cargo beside the bluff. While collecting a few arrows to load her quiver, she lifted her head, noticing his staring. She quit almost immediately, noticing the questions that bubbled in his stern, but noble, gaze.

"We can save rations by hunting s-something tonight," she suggested. "You never know when we may, uh, need quick food in an emergency down the line. Y-Yeah."

"I would completely agree with you if we had not been ordered to camp in Kitsune territory. You must keep in mind that the mindset of a Kitsune, like Wolfskin, is very similar to that of an animal's. Food is of utmost importance, and any who trespass on their hunting grounds to poach are seldom received well. Any chances of us passing through without any issues, therefore, would no longer be a possibility."

"You seem like the diplomatic t-type, though. You can just talk to them about it, c-can't you?"

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head, then proceeded to approach one of the many boxes. He eased one in particular open, violated its insides, then returned with a pair of two simple loaves of bread, one of which he offered to her.

"Please, if you will listen to me only once, I would like that time to be now. The moment we are out of Kitsune territory, we will be hunting the majority of our meals."

Nina shrugged, relieving her weapon.

"Whatever you s-say," she murmured while taking the loaf from his palm and promptly biting out of it. "You're the one who hangs out with Velouria most of the time a-anyways... So if anyone should know more about the Kitsune, it sh-should be you."

They ate their dinner silently, listening to the crickets chirp as the moon finally showed its pale face. Neither would take long to admire the beauty of nature. Nina dazed off into a daydream before long, laying on her side in front of the lantern, and Siegbert had engrossed himself in study of the map, memorizing the trail Corrin had drawn upon it. They had a ways to go, he noticed, and there would be quite a bit of security they would have to infiltrate. When they arrived, Fort Jinya and The Great Wall of Suzanoh would be nothing to laugh at. Nonetheless, he felt comforted by the idea of having Nina, a wise guru of spying and thievery, at his side. It was his horse that he was the most thoughtful of. He would be impossible to bring past The Great Wall of Suzanoh undetected. At some point or another, he decided with dismay, he would have to leave him behind, perhaps along the path of Corrin's army so that they can pick him up should they pass.

It was obvious from the start: theirs was to be a difficult journey.

"Nina?" His head rose, noticing the dullness of her eyes. Yup, she was off in her own little world. Lucky for him, she snapped out of it quickly, looking at him strangely. "Are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this? After reviewing the map, I have to express my worries... But so long as you are willing to press on, I will follow."

Her shoulders raised.

"I don't see, um... I don't see why not," she answered simply, bringing herself up to sit. "Funny that you're still going to follow me anyways. What's your m-motivation?"

"I want to make my father proud," Siegbert quickly replied. "I've always felt beneath him. As humble as he is, he is likewise strict. Call me a fool, but this feeling of inferiority has left me disappointed in myself for a very long time. To return to him after traveling to the capital and back, all with a girl I was meant to retain... It would surely ripen me for his approval. I know I'm selfish, but selfishness is something I must deal with later." he raised a brow. "And you? Do you have any motivation?"

Nina's eyes rolled around, searching for, or perhaps hiding, an answer.

"Not sure." Her head shook. "And the thing about you and y-your father..." she chuckled. "I sure wish I could l-look up to mine that much."

"Oh? But you already do," he corrected. Immediately after, he watched her color.

"W-What?"

"It's quite obvious that you do admire Mister Niles. After all, you take after him very well, whether it be a prowess with bows or a knack for walking beneath everyone's attention." He smiled. "I'll bet you came out here for the same reason as I: to receive the praise of a proud father."

"D-Don't kid yourself. That man disgusts me."

"Said like a true lover."

They dug deeper into conversation, peeling each other's layers back easily. There were certain things, of course, that they wouldn't admit to each other, much less even bring up. The two hadn't grown nearly as close as they seemed to be, based off their chatting. Even so, they enjoyed themselves, and managed to engage in a game of chess. Having two fairly inexperienced players, the game wasn't anything serious. More than anything, they laughed at one another's moves and made up for any mistakes the other made. It was over quicker than the average game.

They began picking up soon, stuffing the board and pieces back in a crate they had pulled it out of. It was then, to their dismay, they heard a distant rustling in the thicket just a little ways away from their camp. Alert, they looked up, scanning the area in which the sound had roused. After a while, Nina finally gave in to her curiosity and allowed her lips to utter a whisper.

"What w-was that?" she inquired, evidently assuming Siegbert had an answer. His face didn't live up to her expectations.

"I don't know," he replied. "If we're lucky, it was nothing more than an animal that doesn't deserve our concern. Since we're in the land of a clan, however, I wouldn't like to assume anything."

The rustling grew louder suddenly. It was the rhythmic sound of footsteps. Three, no, four pairs of feet parading through the thicket, brushing against the brush and foliage. Leaves gave way to a shout, as if to warn them. Before long, Siegbert began to understand their tongue, and the hairs on the back of his neck rose. Likewise, Nina drew closer to him, keeping watch of the other half of his surroundings.

"Doesn't sound like an animal to me," she grumbled. "More like footsteps."

"Yes, I agree." Siegbert nodded. "That is not a good sign, and there is no use in hiding. If it is the Kitsune, they can smell us. We have no choice but to settle an encounter verbally. Hide your weapons beneath something. They may take our presence as hostile if they see anything they think will pose a threat."

"Right."

As she went to work, which had her yanking the yumi and arrows out of her tent, he continued to scan the perimeter of their clearing, and slowly began to back up, nearing the bluff. His hands began to tremble.

"Velouria told me once that Kitsune aren't as forgiving in the summer. Our timing is ill."

Nina's head peeked out from her tent, her arms carrying a bundle of arrows.

"If you knew that, why're we here?" she inquired stiffly.

"Uncle Corrin ordered it of us. He has always occurred to me as a wise man, so I imagined he knew what he was doing in planning. Perhaps this area in particular has been abandoned by the clan?" When the sound grew more furious, he began to doubt his own wonderings. While stiffening, he beckoned Nina near, where he protectively took a stance before her. His hard eyes fixed themselves forward, focusing on a rustling bush that made him feel uneasy. He dared to allow his lips to part.

"Please, come out. If you wish to talk, I am more than willing to talk. We're simply merchants that are passing through the area. Should you have an issue with such, we are more than willing to take our leave from your territory and travel around it. It will take us longer to reach our destination, yes, but it will most definitely prevent any unnecessary bloodshed. Please, let us be civilized."

The rustling stopped. Where there should have been peace from the absence of what frightened them, the silence put them more on the edge than ever before. The two blinked, bracing themselves for some sort of impact, perhaps a monstrous fox that would zip across their vision and sink its teeth into their skin before they would even have a chance to react. The more time that passed, the more the tension grew...

Until a head popped out of the bushes, close enough to have its face in the glow of the lantern. Both knew the face well. Pink hair, broad shoulders, a distinct set of armor, a familiar pauldron, and, most of all, a very upbeat pair of eyes. She gave them a bright grin, then rushed out into the clearing.

"Future Lord Siegbert!" she called to them, sliding up to the two all chipper-like as she replaced her sword in its sheath. "It's great to see you're okay!" She reached out and pat Nina on the head like a dog. "So where's the problem? Already got rid of it? If you did, you really gave me a heart attack for nothing. I don't appreciate it."

As the girl continued to chatter on, Siebert grew visibly flustered judging by the deep blush that spread across his cheeks. Furious, he looked her in the eye, frowning and furrowing his brows.

"Soleil," he growled. "What are you doing out here? Don't you know that there are only supposed to be two on this mission? Even one more can have us run the risk of being captured."

At that moment, when he finished grumbling at her, Sophie, tugging Avel by his reigns, departed from the thicket as well, looking awkwardly around. Her eyes met the trio standing beside the bluff, then heaved a tired sigh. Soleil, on the other hand, tried to maintain her trademark grin, shrugging in doing so.

"What? Don't get mad at me. You two are the ones who sent a firecracker up in the air."

"A what?" Siegbert scoffed. "A _distress_ firework? We haven't even opened the crate! Where on earth did you get the idea that we gave off a signal?"

Soleil colored, and only then did she allow her smile to drop.

"I heard it."

"Did you _see_ it?"

"N-No, but I still heard it. You don't have to see the wind to know it's there, so it's kinda the same here, miright?" She became uncomfortable all of a sudden and tried to back away. Nina seized that moment to report to her side, giving one of her strong shoulders a thorough pair of pats.

"Good call, Soleil," she mocked, to which Soleil squirmed out of her reach and gave way to a holler.

"H-Hold on, now! I swear I heard something! It woke me up and made the ground shake!"

Before anybody could say anything, Sophie's words immediately pounced on her, knocking her onto the dirty ground.

" _Woke_ you up?" she echoed, exasperated. "You told me you were awake the whole time! I don't believe you, forcing me awake and dragging us all the way out here just because you had a dream! Father's going to kill me for leaving the castle grounds at this time of night!"

Defeated, Soleil paused, standing awkwardly in the midst of the triangle. She'd try to gaze back at her starers, but she found it impossible to do with only two eyes, so she settled on only staring at Siegbert, whose face had grown strict and demanding. When they spent a good while exchanging glances, he finally crossed his arms and cleared his throat.

"We're fine, Soleil. Thank you for worrying for us," he grumbled, toned down. "Go back home before someone notices you and Sophie are gone. Nina and I will be just fine. Rest assured."

The girl sighed then, scratching an itch behind her neck.

"Aw, shucks..." she mused. "Just worrying for you isn't the half of it. I'm terrified for you two, know? This whole journey seems like a bit too much for just two people."

"No, Soleil, I will not allow you to come with us."

She laughed nervously.

"You know my language well, Future Lord Siegbert..." Her body slid closer to him, her eyes unwavering. "Come on. Pleeease? Imagine how much help I could be, saving the two of you should something happen. An ambush is all it takes to have you two in a bad spot. Wouldn't it be better if you had an extra sword there to help you?"

"I'm sure that your presence would be appreciated by the both of us..." Siegbert shook his head. "But like I said. No. You are not coming. Yes, you would be helpful should we have to resort to self-defense, but we carry only so many rations with us; another mouth to feed is not something we need."

Soleil shrugged.

"Easy. You don't have to feed me. Know how long I've gone without eating? Back in the Deeprealms, the fellas in my band dared me to go two weeks without even a single grain of rice. You know what I did? I knocked their socks off!"

Regardless of such a bold claim, Siegbert didn't budge.

"No," he repeated.

"Come on."

"I said no."

"Please?"

"No."

"But I'm-"

"No."

She finally learned to stop, but at a price. When silence roused between the two, it gave room for the four to hear a distant rustling in the thicket once again. It grew louder, and seemed to hold quite a quantity. The footsteps were light, noticeable even so, and the crickets halted their singing as if to foreshadow danger. Even though there was an evident sense of fear on the faces of both Soleil and Sophie, Siegbert and Nina appeared to be less amused by the sound. The latter rolled her eyes.

"Who else did you bring with you? The whole army?" she grumbled, shooting Soleil a not-so-friendly glare. When Soleil didn't respond, Sophie took the initiative.

"We were the only ones who left... unless some of the others followed, there shouldn't be anyone else coming." At her side, Avel began to grow restless, and his brays grew worried. When he began to thrash, Sophie struggled to keep him in place. That alone was a sign that set the others on edge once again. With all four suddenly tense, the air about them became thick, almost tangible. With a growl, Nina began to back away, nearing the place where she had hidden her yumi.

"Sounds like all your ruckus lured the patrols toward us, Soleil," she muttered. "Nice job."

Likewise, the others began to back away from the thicket, nearing the sanctuary of the bluff.

"Th-Thanks a bunch. It's good to see my efforts are noticed and appreciated."

Avel gave way to a shout as a head peeked through the bushes, and it wasn't the head of a human as they had hoped. Its face was narrow and slim, lengthened by a slender snout. It revealed pointy ears as it stalked further into the clearing, baring an impressive array of sharp teeth. Its back hunched as it set paw after paw forward. To the audience's dismay, many others emerged from the thicket, growling at them.

Sophie, clinging to her lance as she shivered, clamped her teeth shut.

"O-Oh dear..." she whispered, backing up further. Rest would be assured, however, when Siegbert, unarmed, decided to take a step closer, holding up his hands to display their emptiness.

"Good evening," he greeted timidly. "We're merchants simply passing through."

The foxes exchanged glances before the leader, the biggest one with more than one tail, growled at him.

 _"You've trespassed onto our territory," it told him._

"Yes, we have, and I apologize if that upsets you. If you want us to leave, I promise that we will gather our things and depart immediately, and never will we set foot beyond your borders again."

The lead took a whiff of him.

 _"Your professionalism is quite high. Not anything I would expect from a mere merchant."_

"Diplomacy is not something to go without in a job such as mercantilism. Without a professional air about myself, I will lose credibility and not sell as well."

 _"I see. I want to trust you, merchant, but I cannot find it within myself to trust you. I feel I am being lied to."_

Siebert paused, his eyes widening, and he struggled to maintain his composure.

"I would only lie to protect someone," he replied. "And, quite obviously, I have nobody to worry about besides my fellow peers behind me. All I want is to pass, or at least leave, without any issues. Bloodshed would not be necessary."

The Kitsune drew frighteningly close, but had yet to attack, which was why Siegbert did not dare budge, fearing he may upset his visitor. The beast's pointy nose ran over his clothes, raising its tail cautiously, and took in a series of hefty sniffs. The fifth one ended with a growl, and, once again, his back arched angrily.

 _"You are deceitful,"_ it hissed. _"You dress in garb of Hoshido and claim you are a merchant, but you reek of Nohr. I know the Nohrian scent especially well, for it is Nohrians that are the ones who hunt for our fur the most."_

Before Siegbert could even reply, he released a shout. The fox lunged at him, then buried its teeth in his calf, clamping down tightly and drawing blood. Not even a second later, to the audience's dismay, the rest of the pack joined in on the attack, yanked him down, then dog-piled on top of him until he was completely smothered. The rest didn't leave much time to hesitate. Soleil had yanked out her blade from her hip, and, with a shout, rushed toward the pile. While Sophie did likewise, Nina began working to ready her yumi and arrows. After joining in on the fight, she would begin shooting at point-blank range.

With some doing, the lump on top of Siegbert lessened, revealing his struggle as he shouted. While hacking away at beasts that made attempts to bite at her, Soleil reached into the pit, hoping to drag out the prisoner. She didn't manage, but was able to get enough of him out of the way of an oncoming set of teeth. Though covered in open wounds from head to toe, Siegbert balled up his fist and delivered a punch to a wet nose, evoking a whine. One after one fell off of him, each laying on the ground with a nasty gash in their sides from either a lance or a sword. The one that was the most stubborn to bring down, the leader, backed off when it realized it was alone, and it bore its fangs viciously. It ran away then, disappearing in the bushes.

Even though it seemed like a moment worthy of celebration, Siegbert, laying wounded on the ground, lifted his head and worriedly called out:

"Don't let him get away! He's going to get the rest of the clan!"

Nina took his words like an order; with her quiver full, she rushed after the fox into the brush, disappearing in a matter of seconds. Left behind, Soleil gave Siegbert a brief glance. He had been heavily wounded, bathing in a pool of blood, and looked terribly in pain. She gave Sophie a glance, who nodded to her.

"Make sure Nina doesn't get hurt. I'll do what I can to stop the bleeding," she announced. As if she had been waiting for the command, Soleil, after wicking the crimson from her blade, rushed into the thicket as well.

Running through the woods was not a forte of Soleil's. She was more used to navigating the intricate labyrinth of villages, chasing ruffians and criminals alike... not getting her face slapped by tree limb after tree limb. Even so, a real trooper, she pushed on, rustling through the foliage and stopping at nothing besides the thick trunks of trees, which she would work her way around. Thankfully, she had learned her lesson. Calling out to find Nina would be foolish, especially when there was a chance that another patrol may have been roaming the vicinity. She had no choice but to try her luck and zip her mouth shut, hoping she would stumble upon the girl by sheer accident.

Lucky for her, a few minutes into her running had her pause to catch her breath. Nina was quick on her feet, she knew, so it was possible she was falling far behind. Even so, a small break was appealing, and she was more than happy to oblige. To her horror, however, during her stand still, she felt something wrap around her ankle. With the fear of snakes whispering from the dark corners of her mind, she stumbled back in a hurry, only to catch a pair of green eyes. They glowed beneath the moonlight, which peeked through the canopy lingering over their heads. Soleil knew those eyes well and noticed how they beckoned her closer, inviting her to squat in the refuge of a rather thick fern. Not one to argue in such a situation, she willingly complied and sunk to her knees.

Upon arriving at her side, Nina motioned to her with a curt nod, directing her gaze to a space adjacent to their position. With floating wisps gathered around it, the leader Kitsune stood alone in the midst of the woods, thinking it was alone. There, he began to lick his wounds, minor, but deep enough to fret over. It was an ideal opportunity for one who faired well with a bow. Soleil wasn't that person, but her neighbor was. She did not idle a moment longer before she reached into her quiver to silently withdraw a final arrow. Even the sound of one brushing against another, she feared, may frighten their prey away.

The butt of the arrow was loaded, and, with a calm and steady hand, drawn back. Watchful eyes studied the landscape, aiming for exact precision. Even though there was quite an air of confidence rising from the bow, Soleil couldn't help but set her hand on the hilt of her sword. Her worries were for naught, for the arrow left the string with only a soft whisper, and it whipped across the foliage at a sickening speed. Its tip, sharp and shiny, lodged itself into the side of the beast's neck. It released a yelp before falling on the grassy ground, defeated.

Impressed (perhaps even a smidgen jealous) Soleil clapped her hands in the wake of the monster's death.

"Nice shot," she commented before standing to her feet. Nina followed, brushing a braid off her shoulder in the meantime.

"I try."

Siegbert, despite their victory, wasn't in the greatest of moods, so they came to discover upon returning to the clearing at the foot of the bluff. He was covered in nasty gashes, which Sophie, who wasn't a doctor, struggled to tend to. The light material of his disguise seemed to have done nothing to protect him from sharp Kitsune teeth. An unfortunate boy such as himself racked up quite the mountain of pity, however. Even so, nobody stood around doing nothing. With Sophie at work, and Siegbert in no position to do anything, Soleil and Nina had begun to clear the area of passed Kitsune, which had them drag their bodies away from the clearing and respectfully laying them in the bushes. Even with them being the enemy, it was evident that both, like Siegbert, gave the beasts their sympathy.

"Man. I sure do feel bad about this... I mean, I know it was kill or be killed, but still... They were just trying to defend their colony because they felt it was in trouble. I wish this could've played out a bit differently."

"At least we've learned one thing from this," croaked Siegbert, struggling to maintain his composure. "We now know... not to go beyond the boundary of Kitsune territory. Uncle Corrin must have not been aware that they aren't friendly to outsiders."

Sophie pat him on a spot that was unscathed.

"Either way, you did good, Siebert. Your efforts haven't gone unappreciated. I don't think any of us girls could've done a better job at trying to negotiate, so rest easy knowing that."

With a humble chuckle, Siegbert shut his eyes, relieved.

"I'm flattered," he murmured softly. "Thank you. I'm sure Father would have done a much better job, though... All the more reason to continue working."

"Working?" Nina echoed, lifting her head from her work. "Not right now you're not. I don't care how good you feel, you're in no condition to keep on going. You're going to have to go straight back to camp whether you like it or not."

He released a groan.

"Oh please... Don't remind me... Father and mother are going to be so disappointed..."

"Pardon my tone, but you need to cut it out with all that yap, Future Lord Siegbert," Soleil piped heartily. "You defended us, putting yourself out in front so that the Kitsune wouldn't pay us as much mind. That was brave. A coward would've hid behind someone. I say you should go back home with your head held high. If your dad gets upset because you were injured while protecting someone... I'd estrange myself from him like Nina over here."

Nina shrugged.

"I-It's no big deal, living without your father. Really. Yeah."

Though discouraged, Siegbert had no choice but to agree with a nod. His soft eyes, clouded by misery, gazed up at the sky hiding behind the canopy.

"I understand... But I worry now. Uncle Corrin expressed how dire the situation was, and how urgently he needed the information we were sent to retrieve. And if I can't go on to accompany Nina..." He set a palm over his forehead, hissing, "Gah, what am I to do..."

"It's pretty obvious," Soleil quickly answered. "Just send me. Lord Corrin told me the same thing: we can't afford to waste anymore time since the Hoshidans are getting so close to the main camp. If we waste even a day getting you back and picking someone else to send with Nina, we're toast. Let me and Nina keep on, and Flower here can take you and your horse back home."

Sophie, once again, had her face turn sour. Siegbert's was similar, but it differentiated slightly, holding a bit more concern in his eyes.

"Soleil..." he trailed off. "I don't know if that's such a good idea... I was chosen because the army voted against sending you with her... They didn't think your strength, due to femininity, was competent enough for the mission."

"Honest to the gods! I can protect her!"

"Why am I being spoken about like I'm some sort of helpless damsel?"

"Do you know why they voted against me? It's because they don't want me going off alone with a girl because of my 'problems' Lord Corrin and I've been trying to sort out."

Siegbert grunted.

"Yes, Soleil. Thank you for reminding me. That's all the more reason why you shouldn't go alone with her."

"You obviously don't know about this thing Nina and I have going on here. Watch." She approached Nina suddenly, enlarging herself by spacing out her broad shoulders. Having noticed the strange leer she received from her, Nina instinctively began backing away, frowning awkwardly.

"H-Hey... What're you-"

"Hold still." And with one of her calloused palms, Soleil snatched her shoulder and pulled her uncomfortably close. The other, naturally, went up to her delicate cheeks, where she gently ran her thumb over the smoothness of her skin and cradled her jaw. She flashed her a charming grin, displaying a set of pearly teeth. "Heh. You sure are cute when you're surprised..."

Her nose would reunite with its long lost friend: the fist.

"Lay off!" Nina hissed, sending Soleil stumbling back, a hand nursing her wound. With tears trailing down her cheeks, she looked to Siegbert, her baffled audience, and gave him a forced grin. It was a grin far less charming than the one she had presented to her attacker.

"See?" She wiped away a river. "Not a single girl has ever done that to me, not even dear Flower over there. If anyone's going to help me with my problems, it'll be Nina. Leave us alone for a while and not only will she be safe, I'll be normal in no time!"

Silence followed. The show was quite the show, they had to admit, but, according to Siegbert's expression, it still wasn't enough to convince him. His expression remained just as still and cold as before, glaring at the girl with prejudice. A simple roll of the eyes would have been enough of an answer.

"That's wonderful, Soleil, but not enough of a reason to go."

"Well listen here." Her frown dropped. Something serious was about to go down. "We don't have a choice at the moment. With the entire army on the line, we don't have the room to be picky. Anymore time spent dilly-dallying will only lead us closer to something really, really bad. I don't want that, Nina doesn't want that..." She looked at him, filled to the brim with blame. "And I know for certain you don't want that."

Regardless of Soleil's words, Siegbert's stance refused to budge, so Sophie, sitting off to the side as she continued to wrap his wounds, cleared her throat.

"I don't understand why we're not just letting Nina decide. She's the one who truly matters on this mission, right? I think it's important that she's around someone that makes her comfortable, that way she can focus on her work. Right? Someone tell me I'm right..."

"I totally agree!" Of course Soleil was the one to say such a thing. In the meantime, still clinging to her nose, she turned to Nina, high expectations in her eyes. It was quite the responsibility to shoulder, so Nina felt obligated not to disappoint her. She shrugged briefly, shaking her head.

"I don't have a problem with her replacing you, Siegbert. We've done just fine on the battlefield together, so I don't see why we can't travel together."

"You said it, Nina!" She zipped up to the girl, patting her shoulder quickly. "Reminds me of those good ol' times, standing back to back, fighting off falcon knight after falcon knight. It almost looked like it was lights out for you once, but I rushed in and whacked the fiend away before they could lay a finger on you. Oh! You thanked me, Soleil, your savior, and you vowed that you would always-"

" _I'm_ the one who saved _you_ from the falcon knight, Soleil," Nina grumbled. "Your shield was wearing out, so I went ahead and shot the one going for you. Didn't stand a chance, that poor soldier..."

Silence followed, leaving Soleil to blush furiously before her audience, and her eyes, flustered, darted over to Siegbert. He sighed, his brows raising worriedly.

"It doesn't look like we have a choice..." he murmured pitifully. "It's dire that we retrieve the information, regardless of how we do it." he eyed Soleil strictly. "I'll let you go, but don't expect a happy welcome from everyone else when you return to camp. Uncle Corrin may not approve of this decision, but remember that I am going to continue to remind him that you insisted on going. I won't take any responsibility for you or Nina. Are you certain you can shoulder this responsibility?"

The girl pounced forward, squatting beside him.

"You know it!" she answered, chipper as a lark. "I promise you won't regret this; you can count on me, I swear it. I'll be dead before Nina even gets a nick on that _pretty_ skin of hers."

A boot kicked her not even a second after the claim. Having lost her balance, Soleil released a yelp before landing on Siegbert's body, burying her face in his stomach. It went without saying that a cry erupted from the boy, and it echoed down the many isles of trees in the darkness of the forest.


	4. Nohrians Can Only Wear Boots

Sophie and Siegbert didn't return to camp until morning had dawned, having the humble sun peek over the distant horizon. Controlling Avel and luring Siegbert's horse all at once proved to be a challenge for the girl; Avel was difficult enough to handle, but having him go the way she wanted him to while holding onto the reins of the other proved to be even worse. To relieve her of such a stressful job, however, Siegbert's horse was much more obedient than Avel. The effortlessness of guiding him eased the struggle, even if it was a little.

"See there Avel? Why can't you be more like this one?" she had asked at some point, which Avel disobediently ignored.

The amount of time it took to get back took a toll on poor Siegbert, who rested on the saddle of his steed limply, huffing roughly in attempt to ease his pain. With his wounds crudely patched up, thankfully, he wouldn't have much to worry about besides the constant pulsing of his body. He wondered if opening his wounds so he could bleed out would be better in the long run. He'd never have to worry about being attacked by those darn Kitsune with their razor sharp teeth and claws again... or worry about being responsible for sending Soleil with Nina to the enemy's capital (a definite mistake, in retrospect). His father was sure to kill him for that.

Perhaps dying didn't sound so bad after all.

Upon returning to the castle, wandering inside its walls and into the lawn, Sophie and Siegbert would be surprised to find everyone out and about, striding around the camp as though they were searching for something. Not a nook or cranny was left unviolated, and not a rock went unturned. Some places were even visited twice. The moment the sight met Sophie's eyes, she felt her teeth slide over her bottom lip, and she released a slow squeak.

"Oh dear... I hope they're not looking for me and Soleil..."

Siegbert, beside her, lifted his head weakly. A tear of sweat slipped down his filthy nose and dropped off its tip.

"It can be best assumed that they are," he murmured. "We need to find Uncle Corrin and inform him of what happened at once."

Finding Corrin wasn't difficult, seeing that, after a while of wandering, it was Corrin that found them instead. He was moseying along, minding his own business on patrol, when his garnet eyes happened to catch sight of them upon a lucky turn of his head. Almost immediately, he altered his direction and made his way to them in quite a hurry, urgency in his gaze. He was breathless upon observing Siegbert's condition, and he was quick to act upon it.

"Let's get you to the medical tent," he muttered, taking the reins from Sophie. Absentminded, the rider gave Corrin a glance, releasing the umpteenth huff before clearing his throat. Corrin would interrupt him before he could begin saying anything further. "I want you to tell me everything that happened. Is Nina alright?"

Siegbert sighed, running his dry tongue over his lips.

"Well..."

Somewhere else, across the land, through trees, thick and thin, over hills and over valleys, Soleil and Nina ventured on, having recently woken up from an intense night's sleep. They had spent most of the morning negotiating over the piles of cargo left behind by Siegbert's horse (they would have asked for the horse to be left behind, but neither knew how to properly ride one). With so much weight, it would be impossible for them to take everything for the journey. Deciding what was the most important became the most difficult problem they had encountered thus far. To worsen matters, they couldn't dally for long; to reach the capital at the time Corrin expected, they would have to make it to certain checkpoints by nightfall... Not to mention they had to reroute their trek to work their way around the Kitsune territory, which would take longer than the original route. Sophie and Siegbert should be telling Corrin of the change of plans.

Let's see...

They had lots of crates to go through and lots of sorting to conduct under such a pressing time constraint. Ultimately, they settled on making three separate piles: one pile was for definite needs, such as rations, money, weapons, lantern oil, medical herbs, and supplies. Another pile was for things that would definitely prove useful, but they could likely go without, such as a few not-so-necessary sets of clothing, Hoshidan-style trinkets (since they were "merchants"), and lavishes (alcohol was one of them for some reason). The third pile was for things they weren't entirely sure about. When they were done emptying the crates and barrels, they would discuss whatever had been thrown there.

To their misfortune, however, when they were finished and turned around to observe their handiwork, they would find that the first pile was bigger than the other two combined. It still hadn't slimmed down to a manageable size, so the two eventually decided to weed things out even further.

"Do we really need the tents? They're mainly what's making the load so bulky," Soleil asked out of the blue, evoking the attention of her neighbor. Nina's eyes grew hesitant. If they had to, a crude lean-to may do the trick for a night, but for the most part, they would definitely need proper shelter.

"If we stay along the main road, we'll likely run into a bunch of inns. The only problem is that Corrin hasn't marked the map to have us to travel on the main roads... I suppose that's for obvious reasons. The closer we get to Hoshido, the more soldiers we're likely to see on merchant trails."

"So... is that a no?"

"We'll try to stay as close to trails as we can, and every once and a while, we'll look and see for a place to stay. If we have to, we can always construct a temporary tent for a night or two." She lifted a load of quilts. "But I'm not sure about blankets. What do you think?"

"Definitely not. It's summertime, so the nights'll be hot for a while."

"Yeah, but that's just for now. We might be out here for several months. By the time we get back to the rest of the army, it may be wintertime. Besides, Hoshido is a little ways up north. It gets colder up north in case you didn't know."

"So what? We still don't need blankets." She drew near to Nina, smiling lecherously. "If we ever have to endure through a cold night, we can always snuggle to keep warm." When she didn't receive a response, Soleil's grin dropped, and she scooted away nervously. "Heh... That was a joke..."

"Hope you see that I'm not laughing." She reached into the pile of goods once again, pushing things aside to multiple directions. First, there was a canteen, then a back basket. A fishing rod. A few dozen extra arrows. A kodachi. A silly looking Hoshidan hat, some knives, a few blocks of fire starter, three distress fireworks, a box of matches, a bucket, an iron skillet... but nothing that looked like something they could let go. "Do you see anything else we don't need?"

"Not really." Soleil discarded the tents to another pile, then kneeled beside her and conducted a search of her own. Nothing. Everything, so far, was absolutely necessary. "Looks like we won't be traveling light. Don't worry, I'll take the heavy stuff." As she begun gathering things, prepared to organize it to where it was more compact, she was interrupted by a set of clothes which were thrown into her face. When she took them off her head, she would observe attire similar to that of Nina and Siegbert's. Her eyes glanced at the other strangely.

"Before you get everything loaded, you should change into those. You'll stick out like a sore thumb wearing your Nohrian clothes."

There was no room to argue.

Once completely loaded down like mules, the two carried on, walking in thongs that clicked against the rocky ground. Being a rather chipper soul, Soleil was humming, even though her melodies were horrendously off key and liked to crack. Unbeknownst to any random bystander, she kept her hand beside her hip because there happened to be a small katana hidden beneath her robe, ready to be grabbed at any moment. It wasn't likely that they were to run into trouble, so that was why Nina carried on beside her, her face buried in a map. She turned it every which way, whether it be forward, sideways, upside down, or backward. Her stiffening face gazed at it with prejudice.

While walking, Soleil had already retrieved the canteen from the basket hanging from her back, popped its top off, and began to help herself to a gulp of water. Shortly afterward, she held it before her companion's face, distracting her from their directions.

"Thirsty?" she inquired, to which Nina folded up the map and took it. Instead of taking a sip herself, however, she pulled the cap back over its spout, then returned it to her.

"We haven't been walking that long. Save it for later."

"Well, for starters, I have a heavier load than you."

"Because you said you'd take the heavier stuff."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that Hoshido has lots of natural water springs, so I'm sure by the time we have this thing emptied out, we'll have run into one for a refill. Come oooon, I'm supposed to protect you, right? I think you should get a drink to avoid dehydration." So she shoved the bottle back in her face. The other continued walking along side her, but at last decided to give in. Without a word, she snatched back the canteen, ripped off the top, then took a quick, but not large, chug. Seconds later, Soleil would be handed the canteen back, and she was more than happy to receive it. She smiled. "There, feel better?"

"I guess," Nina answered. In the course of a swift change of subject, she presented the map. It was fairly detailed and quite expensive looking. One could best assume it was accurate. A line, drawn in charcoal, ran through the eastern side of the continent, crossing through a distinct location marked "Kitsune Hamlet". Not exactly savvy with direction, Soleil waited for explanation, which she would eventually receive when nothing happened for a good minute. "It goes without saying that we want to stay in one piece, so we're going to work our way around the Kitsune territory. Well, unless you want to end up like Siegbert."

Soleil quickly shook her head.

"Better safe than sorry," she injected. There was enough common sense in that head of hers, so she traced her finger around the map, outlining the marked zone that was forbidden from them. It had two sides available for them to take. Based off the way Nina was looking at her, she wanted her to choose one. "Is there a particular route we're taking?"

"It depends on what we want to deal with," Nina replied, placing her finger on an elevated range to the left of the territory. "If we go west, we'll run into the Nohrian Sea again. From there, we can travel northwest along the coast. It would be a good route to take, since we're less likely to run into Hoshidan forces."

"There's a catch. I can tell just by the tone of your voice."

"Yeah, and a nasty one at that: as we head further north, the terrain starts getting mountainous. It's steep, got lots of wild animals that run toward you instead of from you, and no inns or shops whatsoever. As a matter of fact, nobody'll be out there besides an occasional gang of bandits. Since we chose not to bring our tents, we might not want to go long without cover from people who might prey on our stuff while we sleep."

Soleil pulled her head back, bewildered.

"Bandits? Really?"

"They stalk merchants such as ourselves. Trust me, I'm a thief myself. If I wanted to rob someone, I would wait in places where my victims are secluded, such as a mountain pass."

"Okay... So what about the other side?"

"If we head east, it's equally risky. Before we hit the Hoshidan Sea, we'll run into the neutral kingdom of Izumo. It would be a good place to rest and stock up on supplies, but that's where the easy part ends. When we leave, we'll head along the shore, but the further north we get, the less foliage there'll be. See this area around the Wind Tribe territory? It's nothing but desert."

"So is water the problem? If we're traveling along the shore, we can just get some from the ocean."

"You can't drink ocean water, Soleil."

"Yes you can! Water's water no matter where it's from."

"It has salt in it."

"No it doesn't."

"Yes it does."

"Does not."

"Does too."

"Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Nina stopped, narrowing her eyes as she turned back to the map with a frown.

"Anyways... If we take this route, we can settle that later." Her finger roughly smacked another distinct area of the map, just a few inches away from the ocean. "We'll avoid any trouble with the Wind Tribe if we stick to the coastline, so they won't be an issue. What is one of the issues is that this route is further east, where the Hoshidan population outnumbers Nohrian. We'll have to step up our disguise game if we want to travel somewhere so densely populated by people that would be suspicious of us." At last, she relieved the map, clearing her throat. "Alright, now that you know the pros and cons, which way do you think we should take?"

Clueless, Soleil stared back at her.

"Lord Corrin made _you_ the Adventurer, so aren't you supposed to know which way's best? You pick."

"If I wanted to, I would've already. You."

"I don't want to be responsible if anything bad happens. You."

"Both are equally problematic, so I can't decide. You."

"No, you."

"You."

"You."

"You"

"You."

At last, Nina released a frustrated growl, then roughly folded up the map (in a way that happened to not be the way the creases wanted to go), and stuffed it into her satchel. She exchanged it for a compass, which she quietly observed. The needle pointed north, she would come to see, so she lifted her head and noticed the fork in the road. She nodded toward the right.

"Fine then. We'll head to Izumo. We could use some more packing equipment anyhow, so visiting their capital should do us good."

They would travel uneventfully until nightfall, but yet to meet with their goal, the independent nation of Izumo. Their feet were tired, sore from the unfamiliar strings of the thongs that rubbed against their skin all day. When it finally came time for them to stop for the evening, Soleil hurled them off of her feet, where they flew into distant bushes. She released a hiss, observing the redness of unwelcomed blisters, before snapping a foot around in the air.

"How do they wear these things?" she growled. "Something wrong with a good pair of boots?"

"Heck do I know." Nina was more than obliged to relieve her feet of the forsaken shoes as well. "Whenever they decided to wear them, it's been a while; Mozu wears them casually and doesn't let out a peep about it. The Hoshidans must have tougher feet than us."

"Pft. Yeah right." Soleil weakly shed her back of her load, watching as it hit the ground, accidentally spilling a few items that once sat at the top of the hoard. Even so, she left it alone, seeming not to care. "They're probably just used to it. If that's all they wear, they have no choice." She cracked a smirk. "Since we're Hoshidan now, we should best get used to it too."

"The blisters might be a sign of us being foreign..." Nina was less rough in taking off her pack; instead of letting it fall to the ground, she set it against a tree with care. "Maybe we should invest in longer pants when we get to Izumo. It wouldn't be good to have soldiers seeing our feet when they're red like this."

Without a word, Soleil agreed with a nod.

Soon enough, the two girls would end up pulling their equipment close and plopping beside a tree, leaning against it tiredly. Just a day's worth of traveling had already taken it out of them. It was a nightmare to even think about how exhausted they would be after doing the same thing for weeks on end.  
Nina released a grunt.

"What I'd give to go to the bathhouse right about now..." she grumbled, closing her eyes tiredly.

"Maybe we'll find a spring somewhere down the road or, when we get there, there'll be one in Izumo. Or the ocean. When we get to the Hoshidan Sea, we can wash up there."

"I already told you there's salt in the sea."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yes there is."

"Is not."

"Is too."

The two ended up arguing into slumber, leaning against the tree, no more than a few inches away from each other. Neither had any dreams to report, but every once in a while, one of Soleil's eyes would peek open at even the slightest of rustles in the bushes. Of course, those rustles turned out to be nothing worth fretting over, but she didn't know that at the time. She got up a handful of instances to survey the area. Everything in their packs hadn't disappeared, and nothing struck her as terribly off, seeing that she didn't feel any presences besides that of she and her companion's. Ultimately, with a shrug, she would end up sitting herself back down and returning to the realm of sleep, bound to eventually repeat the process.

Nina couldn't lie to herself: on a couple of such instances, Soleil's movements happened to stir her. Without muttering a word, she watched, at first wondering what she was doing but eventually figuring it out. Even though she would never admit it to that frenemy of hers, she appreciated every act of caution that was taken.

In a strange sort of way, she felt safe...

But like always, not a thing, even The Great Wall of Suzanoh, was meant to last forever, including that sense of security.

The next morning, after a light breakfast, the two were trekking along once again. To their luck, they happened to come across a dirt road, clearly still in use based off of traffic patterns. So long as the compass was pointing east, the two were much obliged to take a clear path over the potential danger which was the thick forest of orange and yellow. For what seemed like forever, the two made their way down the trail, yet to encounter anything that snatched their interest. Every once in a while, a conversation broke out between the two, but those conversations would ultimately evolve into arguments.

"Geez... I sure hope there's a tea shop in Izumo. I could really go for some right about now..." Soleil began the umpteenth conversation with a groan. "If they have one, I want to take you out. Nothing like chatting over tea, miright?"

In response, Nina frowned.

"If you're still going at trying to ask me on a date, you can for-"

"No no no. Just as friends. Can't friends have tea? I bet we can spy up some cuties while we're there," she grinned, an expression that was no stranger to her face. "And maybe, if we're lucky, they'll come sit with us... Heh."

"I'd rather search for a nice young man."

"Okay. I'll look for cute girls and you look for... eh... smelly ol' boys..."

"Smelly? Not all of them are smelly. Some smell quite nice, in fact. Especially the good-looking ones."

The other shrugged.

"Whatever you say. I'm not buying it."

"That's fine. Not all of us have good tastes."

"H-Hey! What was that about my tastes, boy-lover? You'd rather be stuck all day with a sweaty horn-dog than a pure, innocent, and caring young lady?"

"You're saying that as though your opinion is superior."

"Only because it is. Girls care about each other's feelings and are considerate of what may hurt them."

"Oh yeah? Well boys are strong and will lay down their life to protect their families, not to mention they tend to have-"

They were too engrossed in their debate to even realize the presence of the carriage approaching from behind. Only when they heard the thundering hooves of a horse did they finally turn around, where they would be met with the sight of a man sitting on his cart. He was aging, so testified his wrinkles and spots, but he seemed healthy and hardworking. He beckoned his steed to slow as he approached their side.

What alarmed the two was his way of dress, which was obviously that of Hoshido. Like them, he too wore thongs upon his feet, and over his head was one of the same silly hats Siegbert had worn. If the clothing didn't give it away, the mild slant of his eyes certainly would.

"Good morning, ladies," he greeted, setting down one of his two naginatas upon the floorboard of the cart's driving seat. "You look like a pair of merchants such as myself. Where're you headed off to sell today?"

They both were quick to respond, but began speaking at the same time, which drew their dialogue to a halt. Awkwardly, the two exchanged glances, waiting for the other to finally speak up. At last, Nina took the initiative, leaving Soleil silent and watching.

"We're headed to Izumo," she answered. "There hasn't been any drama from the war there, I've heard. It sounds like a good place for selling."

The man chuckled.

"Good luck penetrating commerce there. Sounds to me like you've never visited. The capital of Izumo is chock-full of shops and the suchlike, and they offer 'most everything you can imagine. Most other merchants normally don't visit to sell due to fierce competition, but they do like the sanctuary from the war. There isn't a safer place nowadays."

"Y-Yeah... We recently traded for a lot of Nohrian goods, so we figured they were things the Izumites would be interested in buying. We have some stuff you don't see every day over here in the east."

"Oh? Is that so? I have to say I'm interested. As much as I hate the Nohrians, I do have quite a fondness for their products. They're innovating quite quickly over there. If you have anything that might capture my absolute desire, I'd be more than happy to give you a ride on my cart to Izumo for a trade. I'll be passing through by midday if I'm uninterrupted."

The offer instantly sparked their interest, and the pair of girls quickly turned to one another for conversation. Nina leaned in closely, cupping a hand over her mouth to conceal her words.

"Quick! Where's the trinkets Corrin sent with us?"

Soleil's eyes became puzzled.

"Have you forgotten? We left them back at the front of the Kitsune border. You said they would just be weight we wouldn't need."

Nina's face became sour.

"We left _everything?_ " she echoed, horrified. "Well we have to have something we can offer this guy. What've we got?"

"Nothing we can't go without, and I can't say if Izumo will have replacements for anything we give away... Unless you just feel like wasting some valuable medicine and tools..."

The air about them became stiff, and they gazed at one another questioningly. Ever so slowly, their faces sank with time, and sweat began to bead around their foreheads.

"What should we do then?"

"I dunno. You're the one who's the con artist or whatever."

"Well you're the one who's good at convincing people to do stuff."

"So who should talk to him?"

"I don't know. You?"

The man, evidently growing impatient, crossed his arms.

"Everything okay?" he inquired. "It doesn't sound like you're discussing what I figured you'd discuss..."

Nervous, Nina turned back to the man, clasping her hands together to keep them from fidgeting.

"U-Um... Well... We've decided that we don't really want to trade with you... N-No hard feelings. We're in no shape financially to trade for something that has no value in commerce. Our living is walking on a tight rope. If even one piece of merchandise is stolen or missing, we might spiral into bankruptcy."

The man eyed them, squinting his eyes.

"Ah. I understand. I've been in the same situation a couple of times myself. Sorry. I hope the times eventually pick up for you two."

By now, Nina and Soleil had begun backing away, plotting to flee back into the thicket which bordered the side of the road. In the meantime, they presented a forced grin.

"Thanks a bunch," Nina murmured. "Same for you..."

And she waved.

She _waved._

The two turned around then, and it was a mistake. Boy was it a _mistake!_

Suddenly, out of the blue, a force hit the ground just inches away from their heels, barely missing them. When they looked, they would be horrified to find one of the naginatas behind them, its blade jabbed into the ground. In the distance, the man, taking the horse's reins, bore the second one, a frown covering his face. Needless to say, he seemed rather angry.

"Just so you know..." He snapped the reins, driving the steed toward them. "Hoshidans don't wave, you pieces of Nohrian scum!"


	5. Trekking, Bribing, and Confiding

Nina and Soleil, though they initially hadn't realized it, were, in fact, walking on a journey of education. They had learned so many things in such a short time. Thus far, they've learned how to conserve water, how to pace themselves, set mental alarm clocks, and, best of all, not to wave to Hoshidans. Hoshidans didn't like it when people waved at them.

Especially when one was pretending to be one.

Fleeing from an angry merchant wasn't a challenge for the two of them, luckily, seeing that all they had to do was escape back into the thick forest. Thanks to the density of the trees, who grew no more than a few inches away from each other, they would not be pursued by a horse-driven cart. Nina, quite a ways ahead of Soleil, eventually drew to a halt a few minutes into sprinting through the woods, hunching over to catch her breath. A minute or so later, her companion at last caught up to her, her feet tiredly pounding against the ground.

"They can't run in these darn things either," she growled upon arriving, slipping off the thongs from her feet. "I don't care anymore. I'd rather walk barefoot."

Nina eyed her.

"Mushrooms'll grow under your toenails if you walk around barefoot," she replied jokingly, gasping for breath.

"But they won't when I'm wearing these open-toed things?"

They both paused, their silence filled by labored breath.

"Good point," the other chose to reply, and they decided to share a good laugh about it, soaking in their victory of escaping certain death at the hands of a fiendish merchant.

Since, the two decided not to take the main farm road and instead trekked nearby through the forest. In the meantime, while Soleil was on the look out for anything worthy of their concern, Nina maintained an eye on the compass and led the way according to the needle spinning about. The tiring process made frustration tempting. Nothing had yet to set the two off on a truly heated argument, but that was only thus far. If they neglected to obey common sense, which demanded that they get along, they could easily break out into a hissy cat fight. The blisters being rubbed against their feet were growing miserable. Their legs ached. The packs on their backs, especially Soleil's heavier load, began to take a toll on their shoulders, now stiffening.

One could only imagine the miracle which was sundown, when the two finally began to see the forest dissipate. It was a place where trees became less and less, leaves no longer made a bedding on the ground, and the sounds of wildlife dulled into distant cries. Soleil, at last, could let her guard down and eventually skip up to Nina's side.

"It looks like we're getting closer to the city," she observed. In response, Nina gave her a curt nod, then at last relieved her compass and looked up for the first time in hours. A crick in her neck made her pause, hissing and yipping like a dog. Soleil, for only a moment, decided that laughing at her was the most appropriate response. She would be in for a nasty glare soon enough, however. Once she finally got over the crick, Nina growled.

"Finally," she said. "All this walking's making me cranky. We need to hurry up and get to the city before I start getting mad."

"Ooh. Hell hath no fury." They picked up their pace again, and that was when Soleil offered out her hand. "In that case, you want me to take your stuff?"

One would suppose that Nina would take pity on the girl, who was far more loaded down than she. On her back she lugged things like iron skillets and lanterns, a full canteen and fire starters, lofty meats and weapons. All in the meantime, Nina carried things like... Well, it didn't matter. Whatever it was she carried, it weighed less than even half of Soleil's load... But she remembered well: Soleil was a frenemy. A rival, in a sense. There was no need to feel sorry for her.

Thus, the girl was more than happy to take off her pack, all with a smirk as she handed it over.

"Since you offered," she replied, setting it in her neighbors hands.

The two continued on, one loaded like a mule, the other free to wave her hands wherever she pleased.

Across the land, however, over plains, fields, rivers, and woods alike, all wasn't quite as well. The sun begun to set over the Nohrian camp, but a pleasant mood did not float about in the air. The war council was meeting again, but under no good terms.

The worst vibe came from a corner, where Niles stood hidden in the shadows, arms crossed, eye glaring coldly at the ground.

"I knew I shouldn't have let her go," he grumbled deeply, tapping his finger on one of his arms. In the center of the gathering, Corrin looked away, noticeably flustered in the deepest parts of his eyes. He cleared his throat nonetheless.

"This wasn't something we were counting on at all," he mentioned deeply. "But even so, you have my apologies."

"If I really do, you'll express it by calling the mission off. Now."

"I would if it were that simple," Corrin replied quickly, defending himself. He went to work by pinning the great map, once on a table, to a board, standing before it like a teacher. His finger started at the Kitsune Hamlet, then circled about the territory uneasily. "Neither Siegbert nor Sophie know whether Soleil and Nina decided to travel west or east. All we know is that they have decided to work their way around Kitsune territory. It doesn't matter how fast we go; an army is always going to move slower than a party of two. By now, chances are they've gotten farther than we could get in two weeks of nonstop travel. And with the Hoshidans breathing down our necks... we're bound to get slowed at some point or another. We'll never catch up, even if we follow them in the right direction."

A grim silence settled amongst the group, that is before one, a hulking man in black armor, raised his head.

"Why don't we send out some fliers to go find them?" he inquired, to which Corrin's gaze sank.

"I've already considered that," he answered grimly. "And I came to a conclusion: sending out any units more would prove catastrophic to the rest of the army should we be discovered and attacked. Having two separate parties about the enemy's side of the continent would be too much to keep up with as well. Information and commands don't travel quickly enough."

He hadn't noticed that Niles had departed from the shadows as he spoke, but he would quickly come to see his presence when he finally slipped into the blanket of golden light. The men stared at one another. The taller of the two appeared livid. To the audience's shock, perhaps horror, Niles grabbed Corrin by the collar of his uniform, yanking him closer to his face. From there, Corrin would see his single eye, where his pupils had shrunk. Corrin's retainers shed their weapons, but held back their attacks, waiting until the man spoke.

"That's my daughter out there, dammit," he hissed, then gave his captive a quick shake. "That's my daughter! What're you saying we do, wait around and just hope she and Laslow's kid don't get caught? I want you to look me in the eye when I say this. Are you looking?" His face slithered closer to Corrin's. "If those Hoshidan soldiers get their filthy hands on them, it'll be a _blessing_ if they kill them immediately. It doesn't matter how high they claim their morals are! We're are no different than animals to Hoshidans!"

Corrin, breathing unsteadily, ran the tip of his tongue over his lips.

"I completely understand why you're worried, but I think you're underestimating Nina," he whispered.

"Oh really? How so?"

"For starters, you still think she's a little girl. I'm not judging you as a father, but I don't believe it's a coincidence that it was you who visited your child the least out of the army. Of course she would still seem young and inexperienced to you. You've barely seen much of her. You never saw her first steps or her first words. Look at Laslow, for pete's sake! Of course he's worried for his own daughter, but he has confidence in her! I think that has something to do with the fact that he watched Soleil grow up; he devoted all of his free time to visit the Deeprealms, where he'd see her getting older each time. He knows his daughter better than anyone, so he knows what she's capable of. But you? What do you know Nina can and can't do? As far as I'm aware, you've never bothered to find out."

The statement left the room speechless, turning away in secondhand embarrassment. None could deny that they saw the flush that spread across Niles' tan cheeks, nor the way his grip on Corrin tightened. Not a soul tried to stop him when he picked the other up, then proceeded to carry him out of the entrance. In fact, they were more than willing to yield a way through the crowd, forming an isle as though he were a sort of royalty. Outside of the tent, Niles paused, soaking in the night with a cringe.

"I know, milord. I know what I've done. I was wrong. I was so wrong..." He finally gave into the urge he had been fighting by delivering a slap to Corrin's cheek. "But you didn't have to go and say that in front of the entire army, dammit! I've come to terms with my mistakes and have since been trying to mend the gap that's been between my daughter and me. It's harder than it looks, and you know that. I know that Nina is a very capable young woman, and I believe that with all my heart..." Corrin couldn't believe his ears when he heard a sniffle rouse from the man, and his eyes widened. "But even so, over all of that knowledge, I didn't want her going anywhere, not until I've made everything up to her. She's so precious; she didn't deserve to be neglected the way I neglected her. I know what it's like growing up without a mother or a father. It makes people bitter. They don't like anyone. They don't want to be around anyone. They don't trust anyone. I've already seen that in her. No matter how many times I try to remind her that I love her, she doesn't listen to me. Who can blame her? Would you believe someone that abandoned you when you were young? Milord, you have to understand: I'm the reason why she hates me, and a child should never have to hate their father. I can't rest until she knows I love her with all my heart. If something happens to her out there... something that takes her away from me before she knows that... I can never forgive myself. Just to think... to think of my Nina, hurting, believing she was never loved by her mother or father..."

He released Corrin before sinking to his knees, burying his face in his hands.

Nina and Soleil weren't quite as sad, and for good reason. After what felt like forever, a distant light came into view, lighting the darkening sky. Their eyes perked the moment they took notice of it and, as though it was a sort of treasure, their pace quickened so they could receive it sooner. It took close to half an hour for them to finally arrive, but seldom did a complaint rouse from either of them, even with the blisters being rubbed against their pitiful feet. Had Soleil not been so weighed down, they probably would've arrived faster.

To meet them would be the walls which guarded the Kingdom of Izumo, decorated by torches lighting the exterior and toured by guards. Not a soul, Nina observed, could scale the walls and breech the kingdom without being caught. If this was just Izumo, a nation that was considered poor in comparison to the economic giant Hoshido, the capital of Hoshido was undoubtably going to be worse. She would have to consider their method of entrance while they traveled, she considered. Until then, they went ahead and began working their way around the wall, searching for the front gate. Their wandering would deliver them to the exact opposite side of where they had started, where they met a pair of guards armed with naginatas.

They quickly retracted, retreating back to the sanctuary which was the curved corner of the wall. They turned to face one another, eyes widening, and began pitting words back and forth.

"Alright, there's guards at the door."

"Good eye, Soleil."

"What're we going to do?"

"Go up and talk to them of course. I'm sure they won't mind letting in a pair of merchants."

"Then why did you stop like there was something wrong?"

Nina stopped, briefly conducting a scan around them before turning back to her. She frowned, leaning in closer, and proceeded to retrieve her load from Soleil's back.

"I don't know. I'm just like that," she replied hesitantly. "We need to be careful, that's all. Let's review what we should and shouldn't do. Wave?"

"No."

"Curtsy?"

"Nope."

"Shoes inside?"

"Nah-ah."

"Nohrian accent?"

"Nah."

"Bread instead of rice?"

"Never."

"Do we read books?"

"Not once."

"Foot thongs?"

"N-" Soleil paused suddenly, holding her tongue with both bottom and top sets of teeth. Her eyes widened, and a grin spread across her lips, displaying white pearls. "Heh. Nice one. You almost got me there."

Cool and confident, the duo approached the guards at last, natural as a bird on its branch. They seemed relaxed, even though their hands quivered behind their backs, and they looked the guards in the eye. The guards said nothing, so they chose to take the initiative to introduce themselves with a bow.

"Good evening, good sirs," Soleil announced.

"Welcome to the Kingdom of Izumo. For what affairs have you come to our gates?"

"We're merchants from Hoshido and would like to take part in commerce for a day or so. By the end of next month, we plan on making it back to the capital with all of our goods sold. Are we allowed to come inside?"

The guards exchanged glances, their faces stiffening.

"It's quite obvious that you're merchants, so there's no need to tell us. Don't you know? All you have to do is show us your certification and we'd be more than happy to grant you entrance."

The two girls stilled, and they turned around, staring at one another with terror.

"M-Merchant certification?" Nina echoed, whitening.

"It's wartime between two of the continent's greatest countries, so Archduke Izana has declared a law for our kingdom's safety: all foreigners must have thorough documentation before entering, and foreign merchants must present certification, regardless of nationality. Spies have infiltrated our land in past wars, many disguised as merchants and refugees."

Nina's eyes squinted, and she released a strange laugh.

"Ehe. Um. Yeah. That makes perfect sense. A place like Izumo is a great thing for resources. Any country would take this land by force if they were desperate enough, so I can see why you wouldn't want some grubby ol' spies getting in..." She whipped over to Soleil and quickly threw the subject over to her as though it were a hot potato. "I think the cards're with you, so can you get 'em out?"

Soleil blushed. Her eyes looked betrayed. Had they not been standing before a pair of guards, she probably would have given the girl a quick whack.

"R-Right. Yeah. I got 'em right here." She shed the heavy bag off of her tired shoulders, where it thumped against the ground behind her. Her hand violated its entrance, and it dug around furiously, looking and searching for something she knew wasn't there. Just a few seconds worth felt like several minutes. Like heck she knew how long would be considered natural, so she decided to go with thirty seconds before giving up. She lifted her head, scratching it awkwardly before releasing a nervous laugh. "Sounds like bad timing, but I think we left our cards back in Port Dia..."

The guards rolled their eyes.

"Then it should be a simple case," one said. "If you don't have your certification, we can't let you inside."

Nina turned to them, bewildered.

"W-Well... Come on, now, I'm sure you can make an exception for a poor pair of girls... Do we look like spies to you? I don't even know how to walk behind someone without getting their attention."

"Alright. What about the other one?"

Soleil lifted her head from her load.

"No way," she answered. "Couldn't sneak up on an old dog if I wanted."

Nonetheless, even when hope had kindled in both of their hearts, one of the guards shook his head stiffly.

"I'm sorry. The Archduke's orders are absolute, and we are obligated to uphold them."

There was one thing they weren't expecting: Nina, who slithered up to them, giving them a devious glance. The stare, in itself, suddenly had the men up their guard, and they stiffened, almost wanting to back away. The girl's hand retreated into one of her satchels. What they thought she would whip out would be a weapon, but instead it was nothing more than a little coin purse, into which she promptly began digging.

"You two look like a pair of hard-working gentlemen. Would you happen to have a wife and children?"

They exchanged glances awkwardly.

"Yes. A spouse and three children wait for me at home," answered one.

"My wife died a year ago, leaving me behind with four daughters."

Nina grinned.

"In that case..." She fished out a pair of gold coins, which she gingerly slipped into their hands. "You two seem like you can use a small bonus."

The guards, puzzled, held up their hands, studying the single gold coin that rest in its core. One lifted his and gave her a humble smile.

"Thank you for the donation, ma'am. That's mighty kind of you."

"Oh please, don't mention it," she fanned her hand out. "Seriously, don't. So how about letting us through now, hm?" A sweet smile spread across her lips, looking up into their eyes kindly... only for her expression to sink when they, once again, shook their heads.

"Like we said ma'am: Archduke's orders."

From behind, Soleil eyed away, almost as if she were trying to contain a snicker. Instead, she chose to control it by loading herself up again, groaning as she pulled her bags aboard. Squinting, Nina eased closer, heaving a sigh.

"Tough negotiators," she growled, sticking her hand back in her purse. When it returned, it returned with two additional gold coins, which she also slipped into their palms. After a brief while of staring at them, she finally began to tap her sore feet against the ground. "So? How about _now?_ "

For the umpteenth time, the two turned to one another, sliding their new pieces of cash against each other in their palms. They were metal, so they clinked and clicked. It was a noise that was surely like music to any ear that happened to catch wind of it. Their eyebrows raised, as if communicating telepathically. At last, one drove his gaze away from the other, looked about their surroundings, and cleared his throat.

"I don't expect either of you to cause any trouble." And he turned to the side just a smidgen, making a gap just large enough for them to slip through. "Just don't tell anyone. You seem like you can keep a secret, am I mistaken?" The sight, almost immediately, had Nina chuckling in pleasure, more than happy to take the chasm between their lean frames. She pat one on the shoulder as she passed, then released a sigh.

"Pleasure doing business with you," she breathed, only to stop, then arrive at his side. From there, she brought herself to her tip toes to reach his ear. "By the way, you two look _great_ together. Just sayin'." She was off, continuing further into the depths of the city which lay beyond.

Following, Soleil shook her head, giving the man a curt bow and a trademark grin.

"Don't listen to her."

Any sort of pain or exhaustion seemed to lift from them in a matter of seconds, for they soon dug deeper into the city, eventually reaching the main square. It was quite a marvel to behold, especially at night. The golden glow of commerce kept the pathway lit and warm, paying no mind to the darkness. The square circled around a great rock. Some shops had been carved into it, and the rest was built around, all looking toward it as though it were a god. Even with the hour growing late, many roamed the streets, conversing happily, exchanging, and laughing; any sort of negative aura wasn't welcome, which made it all the more comforting. The sight was enough to finally have the two relax, their shoulders unknotting despite their load, and they were more than happy to drink in the scent. The smell of a busy village smelled of many things, but together, it was of heaven and peace.

Soleil was the one who gushed over it the most.

"Ah... I can smell it, Nina... Tea! A fresh pot, warm and sweetened with dozens of sugar cubes..." One of her rough palms found itself on her chest. "And the girls here! Izumites are beautiful!" The other palm roughly grabbed Nina's arm, and she tugged her closer, pulling her close to her side. Apparently it was too close because Nina began struggling. "We've gotta try it all at least once for tonight. Izumite tea! When will we ever get the opportunity again?"

"Before we do anything, we need to find somewhere to stay the night," Nina grumbled upon freeing herself from her prison. "Surely there's a tavern somewhere around here. With a place as big as this in the middle of the continent, it's got to be a hotspot for travelers. Only an idiot wouldn't open an inn here."

"How about..." To her dismay, Soleil pulled her close again. "We go get some tea, _then_ we find a tavern?"

"We don't have time for tea right now. Why not in the morning while we're getting some goods?"

"Because..." The other girl lifted her head, reached up, then flicked a lantern hovering above their heads for the heck of it. "We haven't gotten very much down time. You work too much, you know that? It's no wonder you're so uptight all the time."

Nina turned to her, eyes widening.

"Uptight?" she echoed. "Who're you calling uptight? I'm perfectly relaxed all the time. Haven't you seen me when we're fighting someone off? I never shiver or cower in the face of a foe. Heck, I'm always ready for them to come at me so I can just jump out of the way and hit with a good counter."

"Huh? Last time I saw you, you were shivering like you were naked in a snowstorm." Soleil flushed then, releasing a snicker. "Heh. An interesting picture, that one..."

"Soleil! You stop that right now! People feel violated when you talk like that, so you better keep your mouth sh-"

"Ladies, ladies!" called a voice in the distance. In an instant, the two halted their bickering, and were quick to turn around. Slowly, Soleil's arm slid off of Nina, liberating her, as they gazed at a man standing at a shed, working behind his counter. He was giving a cup a good cleaning when he returned their gaze, then flicked his head to the side as if to beckon them closer. "Why don't you two cut it out with the argument and have yourself a nice cup? Nothing beats bedtime with some tea, don't you think?"

Of course the idea appealed to Soleil, who quickly turned to her companion and gave her a grin.

"Come on, you have to say yes now, Nina. The guy offered."

"He's supposed to. It's how he attracts customers."

The man appeared to have heard them, for he quickly shook his head.

"You're a lucky pair. Every night, I give away a free cup to a lucky customer before I close up shop. Care for some? It's on the house."

Soleil was overflowing with joy by that point.

"Hey hey! Did you hear him? Come on!" And she made her way over to the stall, dragging Nina along with her whether she liked it or not. The only reason she didn't resist was one simple comment:

"Well... At least it's free."

That was how the two ended up sitting at a table, guarded from moonlight by a parasol, watching as pedestrians passed them by. In the midst of their conversations, which were shallow, they would let their eyes wander, taking in the city and its golden hue. It was a pleasant place, just as they had heard from several accounts.

Soleil's hands, many would notice, transformed when it came to teatime; what was once large, arguably boyish, and rough became elegant and gentle, even despite the callouses that bunched at the underbelly of her knuckles. Her sips, though, weren't quite as modest as her neighbor's. Nina was quite the skeptic, constantly stopping between drinks (if they even were drinks) to smell the stream of fog that rose from her cup and smacked her in the face. Nothing smelled, or tasted, out of the ordinary, she noted.

"I've never seen a girl drink as slowly as you do," commented her friend- no- _frenemy_ from across the table. "It sure is cute."

"Nobody just gives away tea for free, no strings attached..." Nina muttered, taking another whiff. "He probably drugged this, and then he'll follow us until it sets in. Once we've finally passed out, he'll take all our stuff." She gasped, lifting her head then as she hunched her shoulders. When she slammed the cup back on its saucer, a bit of the tea sloshed out, landing on the top of her hand. Even though it wasn't the coolest of drink, she payed it no mind. "Or even worse...!" she exclaimed, reddening.

"Yeah right." Just in spite of her, Soleil took a huge gulp. "Like he'd do that in a place where there isn't a single clear street."

"It's possible."

"Not possible enough."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

The two locked eyes, and when it went on long enough, Soleil gave her a devious grin, brought her cup to her lips, then took yet another large slurp. In response, Nina released a huff and leaned back in her chair.

"I don't believe you," she whispered bluntly.

"Sure you do." She took another, setting her elbows on the table. "So a tavern's our next place to find? Where do you think they'd build one?"

Clearly off their previous subject, Nina lifted her head to observe the stars hanging far above their heads. She shrugged then, utterly clueless.

"It's not like I've ever been here before," she answered.

"Let's just ask the tea man, then."

"Are you nuts?" Nina slammed her hands on the surface, shaking the cup and saucer that sat before her. Upon watching it almost tip over, Soleil raised a brow as her lips hovered over the brim of her own cup.

"Careful. If you keep on doing that, you're gonna-"

"You want us to ask him for directions for a place to stay? Then he'd know where to find us when the drugs kick in!"

She said it too loud. With a smile, the man looked up from cleaning off the counter with a rag, then cleared his throat.

"Traveling merchants? There's only one tavern in the immediate area. It's a bit pricy, but the cheaper one is across the city. I wouldn't want to walk that far after a day already full of traveling, so I suggest just going to the one here. The price is worth it."

Even though Nina was evidently against it, Soleil turned to the man with a grin.

"Oh, really? You wouldn't happen to have any directions there, would you?"

"Of course." The man leaned over his counter to point across the street. There, the mammoth rock-god stood, unmoving. "It's across from the south face of the center of the square. The tallest building. You can't miss it."

When Soleil turned back to Nina, she found a fuming girl. Even so, with a thick air of charisma, she displayed her teeth.

"Got our tavern."

Except, when they arrived, neither of them were very thrilled. Such very much included Soleil, who had lost her smile and replaced it with a foreign thing known as a frown. Her face didn't know what a frown was, if that happened to hold any sort of meaning. Of course Nina knew what a frown was, and, naturally, her face was quick to display one, her expression souring.

The moment they set foot into the inn, they were met with the sight of leather couches. With leather couches mingled intricate vases housing the most fragrant of flowers, a complex chandelier hanging overhead. Feeling like a sore thumb on a healthy hand, the two strode deeper inside slowly, hunched over and awkward. Impressed, the taller of the two spun around, studying every nook and cranny the lobby had to offer with a chorus of wolf whistles. She dared to draw near to one of the leather couches with the intention to inspect its authenticity. Her finger, barren, would shiver to feel smoothness, and her eyes widened.

"Whoa," was the most she could get out. Less thrilled, Nina began chewing on the bottom of her lip.

"This place reeks with money," she whispered. "I don't know if I want to see how much a one night stay'll cost..."

"You're not the only one, especially when it cost us an arm and a leg just to get in here... Why didn't you start lower? It's not like those guards knew you had gold. You should've just handed them some silver. I doubt they would've rejected it."

Nina grumbled, her words indistinguishable. In the meantime, hunched over, she strode up to meet a board standing on the ground, her companion eventually arriving beside her. Together, almost instantaneously, the two skimmed their eyes along the words painted on its surface, only to halt and have their jaws drop. Arguably, the most mortified was Nina, who choked on her own saliva before she could even spit out a word.

"Th-Three marks of gold for a single night?" she hissed. At her side, Soleil gave way to a chuckle, then pat her partner's shoulder roughly.

"And that's just for one bed. If you want two, it's five."

"Outrageous!" She seemed to be tempted to kick the sign down, but quickly restrained herself. "Who the hell prices these things? I ought to go find them and give them a good piece of my mind, leeching off travelers like this..."

The receptionist clearly heard them, for he lifted his head from his records and set his pen down.

"The stay comes with free access to our bathhouse, and if you aren't comfortable bathing in public, there is a private washroom within each room."

The word bathhouse had the two exchanging glances, narrowing their exhausted eyes. Soleil was the first to speak up, cocking her head to the side ever so slightly.

"Well? You're the money manager," she announced softly. "Three marks is pretty ridiculous, but the bath sounds great."

Nina sighed, then dug around in her pocket to yank out her coin purse again. A brief inventory of their currency had her face sour, and, slowly, the satchel sank back to where it belonged. Her olive eyes glinted with awkwardness.

"If we're staying, we're going to have to take the single bed to save on money. We don't have marks running out of our ears, so... we need to be conservative with whatever we have."

Soleil leered at her, a smile replacing the frown that had found itself on her lips. She leaned closer, almost too close, and chuckled darkly.

"Well, you know _I_ don't have a problem with that."

"Figures. You know I'll just end up sleeping on the floor, right?"

"I won't let you. Sleeping on the floor'll be bad for your posture, and you have to have good posture when you're walking all day long."

"Okay, _you_ can sleep on the floor then."

"Nuh-uh. I need a good posture too."

The two ended up staring at one another again, the latter narrowing her eyes. She heaved a sigh, flipped one of her braids back over her shoulder, then hunched. The trek to the front desk was miserably long. After digging in her satchel again, she slapped three golden marks on the surface, then hesitantly slid it over to the man with a frown.

"We'll take a room," she whispered.

"Of course ma'am." But the receptionist didn't do anything after taking it. Rather, he stood still, gazing back at her, watching as her gaze hardened. Nina eyed around strangely, eventually spying back and forth to the key rack behind the desk and the man. She cleared her throat.

"Is there something wrong?" she muttered.

"If there's not a silver mark tax on each room, the Archduke can't make money to pay for the kingdom," he answered simply. To his response, he found a piece of silver whammed onto the counter as well, mad as a hornet, and it was briefly exchanged for a key. "Thank you for choosing us. Your room will be the second door down the hall. Have a wonderful night."

At least the room was nice.

Relief washed over both of them as they pushed their way inside. The first thing they did after locking the door was shed their loads from their backs and place them against the wall. Nina didn't bother with doing anything more besides that. She plopped down on a side of the bed almost immediately, sprawling out tiredly. The pillow beneath her head soon found itself smothering her face.

"I don't know if this trip is worth all the trouble," she spoke into the pillow, her voice muffled. Soleil barely heard it as she slipped out of her Hoshidan garb, remaining in a simple undershirt. Lucky for her neighbor, she was decent enough to keep her pants on, especially since she came to join her on the bed. She sighed, stretching her sculpted arms over her head with a groan. At every off interval after that, she made brief movements that forced the bed to shake.

"At least the bed's comfy," she mentioned.

"At least," her neighbor agreed.

They stilled for a while, listening to the candle's flame dance around its wick with each subtle draft that passed. An air of peace settled between them as they became still, resting their pulsing feet, both red and gardening blisters. Soleil took to rolling on her side, propping her head up with a hand as she stared at her neighbor. The pillow remained over her face, shielding it from light and cold. When a while passed without any dialogue exchanged between the two of them, Soleil cleared her throat gently. Her fingers went to grab the pillow, which she lifted, then peeked underneath as though she were searching for crawlers beneath a boulder.

"You alright?" she inquired upon seeing the glassiness of her gaze. Nina's eyes shut then, and she rolled over onto her belly.

"Just tired..." she whispered. "It sure is rough being away from camp. I haven't seen a cute guy in days..."

"Maybe we'll see one tomorrow. We're shopping for supplies out in town when we get up, aren't we?"

Against the bed, the other's head nodded.

"I guess..." she muttered. "But we're already getting low on funds, so I don't think we'll be able to buy everything we need. We still have to save a few marks for emergencies. Geez, who knew Izumo was such an expensive place..." Had she not been handicapped by exhaustion, she probably would have reacted when Soleil began toying with her braids, eventually removing the holders at their tips. She gently began to unbraid every strand, smoothening out long wavy hair.

"I'll bet the warm water'll clear your mind."

"After what happened the last time I went into the bath with you, I'm almost too afraid to go again."

"Heh. You're so funny..." She stopped running her fingers through her hair, looking up awkwardly. "Wait, what happened  
last time? I didn't get carried away..." Her eyes widened, and they crept over to the back of her head, her teeth running over her bottom lip. "Did I?"

"No."

"Then what happened?"

"I got sick and nearly drowned, according to you."

"Well, you're not sick, right?"

"No."

"Then I don't see a reason to be worried about it." With that said, she hopped off, and her graceful feet spread over the floor. Without a word, she made her way around the bed, where she arrived at the opposite side. From there, she took her stubborn partner's ankles and begun dragging her off. The action wasn't sparing; the top half of Nina's body thumped against the ground, evoking a growl as she began to be dragged along further. No matter how hard she wrestled, Soleil would not grant her freedom. In the end, it seemed to be for the better. The bathhouse was empty (likely because the inn was so darn expensive nobody else in their right mind would stay there), and it proved to be a well needed release. The two spent a strangely long amount of time in there, soaking in the warmth as though it would be the last time in a long while. With the route they were taking, that just might've been the case.

They ended their night after a modest dinner, which was nothing more than a few pieces of fruit packed in Nina's bag. They were starting to go bad, so they agreed to go ahead and get them eaten before they expired completely. It wasn't the best meal in the world, but it was decent enough to be filling. They would have to be considerate of food, they discussed over dinner. First they would eat all the perishables at mealtime, and when they ran out, hunting would be next. That part, to their dismay, was yet another part of their time constraint. It was summer, nearing fall, so they didn't have to make it to the capital as quickly as possible _just_ to retrieve information before an attack took place. They also had to hurry to the capital because the cooler season was quickly moving in. Once that happened, they could no longer rely on game to eat. Instead, they would have to buy food from other merchants. Nina would later reassure that she could always swipe a mark or two from a nobleman somewhere along the way, but it wasn't wise to rely heavily on such an option.

When supper was over, they took to the bed quickly, almost as if it were a magnet. Fresh out of their disguises, instead in comfortable under-attire, they sunk into the covers almost naturally. Nina was persistent when it came to shooing Soleil away when she happened to scoot a bit too close. Perhaps once or twice she devised means of constructing a wall of pillows, but in the end, the ideas were all discarded and deemed not worth the effort. The room plunged into darkness with the wick of the candle at Soleil's nightstand, and from the dark came utters of goodnights. Just moments later, as it had with darkness, the room also plunged into silence.

That silence would linger for a long, long while, even though neither had dared to slip into the realm of slumber. Both remained on their sides, their eyes open and gazing forward. Nina stared at a wall painted by the moonlight peeking through the window behind her, and it was Soleil that scrutinized that moon. Since they didn't get close, nor dare to look at the other, one did not know the other remained awake.

Until, at last, Soleil cleared her throat softly.

"You asleep yet?"

Nina wasn't quite as quick to answer as she could've been.

"Not really."

"Cool..." She rolled onto her back. "Me neither."

"Mmm. What's your reason? Thinking about all the girls you're gonna see tomorrow?"

Soleil laughed nervously, almost sheepish, as she moved her arm to rest above her head.

"Not really. You're probably not going to believe me, but I was thinking about my Dad. He's probably real worried for us. I can't blame him. I'd get sick if my little girl ran off somewhere without saying a word, headed for the center of the enemy's capital of all places... I didn't even tell him bye before I left." She turned her head, studying the back of her neighbor. Seldom had she seen her hair down, and it was quite the fascinating sight. It was wavy and long, its tips almost reaching her tailbone. It was... surprisingly elegant. "How about you? Why can't you sleep...?" Her face flinched then, baring regret. "Wait. Don't answer that, I think I can guess for myself... You can't sleep because you don't trust me."

Nina's head shook.

"It's not that," she replied. "Just other things."

"What kind of other things?"

"Nothing important."

"Alright. If it's nothing important, it shouldn't be that big of a deal to tell me. You can say anything, and you should know that by now. I know all of your hiding spots at camp and I haven't told anyone where they are. Not even Lord Corrin."

"Yes you have. You told him where my favorite one was. You know, the one that's in the corner of the castle's exterior?"

Soleil forced a grin.

"Oh yeah, that one... That one's an exception. Besides that one, all the others are secret. I swear."

"Hmph. That's good to know..." With that said, Nina uttered no more, her form curling tighter. Her arms wrapped around her knees, strangely enough. When a while passed, Soleil turned her head to her again, blinking, evidently perplexed.

"So... you gonna tell me?"

"No."

"But you said it wasn't important."

"I know."

"Then why don't you tell me?"

"Because."

Her neighbor narrowed her eyes, and, like a snake, she crept over with intentions to invade her bubble. She pressed her chest against the other's shoulder, then set her chin atop the side of her neck. Her mouth and nose, heaving warm breath on her neck, hovered over her ear.

"I know that tone in your voice. You were thinking about your dad too, weren't you?" Before anything else happened, she found a palm stretching over her face, pressure being applied in hopes of pushing her back. Little did Nina know; Soleil was sturdy and wasn't repelled easily. As a matter of fact, she wasn't repelled at all. Nina squinted her eyes and frowned.

"For starters, get off me," she said, but only received a smile as a response.

"Not until you tell."

"I said get off."

"No way, sister."

"Off."

"Tough luck."

"Off."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

At last, Nina released a growl, then threw her face onto her pillow. She burrowed as deeply as she could, feeling her companion readjust her position. The new position, of course, wasn't any more favorable than its predecessor. She chose to lie across her back and began to hum in victory. That melody, had it not been so off-key, would've made the other outraged.

"I think you're tone deaf, Soleil."

"You're avoiding the subject..." the other singsonged. "That means you really were thinking about something you don't want to admit."

"No I wasn't."

"Yes you were."

"Were not."

"Were too."

Nina huffed.

"Fine. I was thinking about him! Are you happy now?"

"Most certainly!" the other chirped, at last lifting her heavy body from her back. Again, she plopped back down on the mattress, rolling into her side and again propping her head upon a hand. A devious smile found itself on her lips. "Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't like talking about my Father."

"You like thinking about him, apparently."

"It's not like I can help it."

"Yes you can."

"No I can't. If I had a say, I'd forget all about that man."

Soleil rolled onto her back again, sighing.

"Geez. The people're right when they say you're a sourpuss about this..." she breathed before deciding to stretch her arms and both hands behind her head. "You think your Dad's worried about you too?"

It was the only question, she noted, that Nina decided to ignore, and she would continue to ignore it the whole night through.


	6. The Repercussions of Bad Habits

Soleil wasn't exactly the type to plan ahead. Sometimes, another trait she happened to share with boys, she would just dive into things headfirst without a second thought and leave pondering for later. Most of the time there were consequences to such actions, and she wasn't skilled at squirming out of sticky situations like Nina. Instead, Soleil was good at withstanding the buffet of inevitable problems, so much so that she had developed a sort of immunity. She smiled the whole way through.

Strangely enough, though, Soleil had actually planned ahead that morning. What was her plan, many would crave to know? She planned on awakening, seeing the quaint morning sunlight that spilled into the room from the window, and rolling over to find her friend- no- _frenemy_ at her side.

Each time Soleil had a slumber party with a friend, Ophelia for example, she greeted her partner with the biggest bear hug she could muster in the morning. She was just that type of person, all touchy feely and ever so pleased at the sight of sunshine on the faces of those dear to her. Nina had never had a sleep over with Soleil, so it was reasonable to imagine that Nina was in for a hefty, _hefty_ surprise, and Soleil happened to get the biggest kick out of imagining the shock that would be hers to soak. Just the mere thought had her slap a grin on her face, and she was quick to roll over...

Only to have the tables turn, having _her_ surprised instead. Nina wasn't there, gone like a shadow in the night.

Eagerness turned to shock, and shock turned to alarm. Soleil shot up, eyes widening as she quickly observed the room. As far as she could see, it was empty, barren of any other souls besides her own. Thus, Soleil threw the covers from her body and jumped off, where her feet thumped against the ground before immediately breaking into a sprint. She ripped the washroom door open, then peeked inside, but would only be greeted by the sight of yet another empty room. It wasn't long before she began spilling sweat, knitting her hands worriedly as she patrolled the bedroom for a second time. Their bags were still seated against the wall, exactly where they had left them the night before, and the windows were shut tight.

Oh no.

Was Nina right about the man from the tea parlor? Had he swooped into their room while they rested and made off with her? Heavens, why couldn't it have just been Soleil that he took? Why Nina? Why?

"C-Calm down, Soleil," she spoke to herself, beginning to pace. "Everything's alright. Nina likes going out, doesn't she? Yeah, she can't last a minute without shoving her nose in someone else's business. Don't worry. She's probably out in town watching someone. Yeah. She's got to be." Her head lifted then, and she rushed over to the window, which she peered out of. "But she wouldn't leave the room without telling me. We've never been to Izumo before, so she wouldn't go too far, would she? No way. She wouldn't do that..."

But she would only be proven wrong.

After a while longer of searching, Soleil eventually ended up at the nightstand beside her side of the bed. A curious article met her eyes there, and she quickly picked it up. It was a sheet of paper, she observed, with its sides jagged as though it had been torn, most likely out of a notebook. Words scribbled in charcoal caught her eye, and she didn't leave a second to spare before reading them.

 _Soleil,_

 _I needed to go out for a little bit last night. I'm writing this letter because I wasn't sure if you were really awake when I woke you up to tell you. I mean, you told me you were listening, but I'm pretty sure you were just sleep talking. Anyways, I wanted to let you know in case anything happened to me. If I'm alright, I'll be waiting for you at that tea parlor we went to last night by the time you get up. If I'm not there or with you, I'm probably in the castle's prison. Don't worry, I'll eventually find my way out... or they'll behead me before then. Anyway, if I'm not around, I'd appreciate it if you came to get me. Thanks._

 _Your friend,_

 _Nina_

That was how Soleil ended up bursting out the doors of the inn, stumbling into the streets with the letter clamped in her fist. As if in a fit of hysteria, she whipped around, searching back and forth, avoiding the path of incoming traffic with a trip or two. Eventually, once she had ran across the street, she leaned against the god-rock, a hand on her chest to calm her furious heart, and she struggled to ease her breath.

"Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy... That old man of her's is gonna kill me if she gets in trouble on my watch!" she hissed to herself, then leapt off the rock and proceeded to trot half of a lap around it. One could only imagine the heat that consumed her heart when she turned around a corner, where her eyes fell upon a herd of tables spread across the street, sitting outside of a vendor. When she scanned the area for a while at first, she found no familiar faces, but that was only because she did so in a fast, panicky fashion. After calming her nerves with a sigh, she skimmed through the faces again, slowly and steady as though time was no longer an idea or force.

Ah, there she was.

No wonder she couldn't see her the first time: a couple had gotten up from their chairs, revealing a waiting ally sitting at the table behind them. She seemed relaxed, dressed once again in her disguise, one leg crossed over the other, sipping away at a quaint cup of drink. Soleil would have melted right then and there had she not felt obligated to rush over, plopping down at the chair in front of her. She sighed nervously, running a hand over the thickest part of her arm restlessly.

"Geez, Nina, you scared the daylights out of me, ditching me like that..." But when she looked up, what daylight had been restored in her was scared away again. Before her, she met the face of an old, rather smug-faced woman, who slowly set down her teacup upon her saucer. She leaned forward, looking rather worried.

"Oh dear, sweetie, are you lost?" inquired the old lady.

Soleil flushed, then yanked her head to the side. Nina sat at the table next door, watching the scene unfold with a stoic expression. At last, the other rose awkwardly from the chair, pushed it back in, and showed her the pearls behind her lips.

"S-Sorry ma'am." She immediately retreated to the other table, where she worriedly sat herself before her braided friend. There, she would find a big jar of milk awaiting her, hiding from the blistering sun in the shade of a distant building's shadow. Out of paranoia, she looked up to make sure she sat before the correct face, but that came with the price of flushing even further. "Good to see you this morning." Based off the tone of her voice, it sounded as though she wanted her neighbor to act as though nothing had happened.

Of course _that_ wasn't happening.

"Good to see you too." Nina took a sip from her tea. "I guess you're not awake yet since you didn't even bother to get dressed before you came out."

"When you can't find your traveling partner, it's reasonable to freak out!" the other replied, negligently snatching the jar sitting before her. As she brought it to her mouth, she was able to utter a faint whisper. "Thanks for the milk, by the way..."

"It looks like you got my letter, so what were you worried about?"

When the butt of the glass hit the table again, Soleil had a white mustache decorating the top of her lip.

"First of all, I didn't see it until a few minutes after tearing the room apart looking for you." She took another, regrettably unfeminine, guzzle. "Second of all, when you write stuff like people chopping your head off or whatever, I have the right to panic."

Nina released a sigh, giving her a subtle nod.

"I knew I shouldn'tve written that..." She set her cup down on the saucer, then looked up at her, bright eyed and confident. "Either way, I'm fine, okay? Nothing to worry about."

"Thank goodness..." Soleil retrieved her glass for a third gulp. "What were you doing anyways? Something about the castle I read?"

Nina's explanations didn't require words; all she had to do was nod, then reach beneath the table and unbuckle the satchel strapped around her hip. She set it in the center of the table as though it were the main attraction... And the main attraction it was. When its top slowly eased open from its contents, Soleil peered inside, eyes widening. A pile of golden coins hid beneath two flaps, stacked and piling on top of one another with hopes of escape. One would be lucky, for Soleil reached inside to take one out and study it intently.

"D-Don't tell me..."

"I needed to clear my mind a bit. It was getting cloudy because I was worried. It won't be good if we travel while we're low on funds, so I had to go get at least _something._ "

Horrified, Soleil lifted her head.

"So you went to the _castle?_ " she presumed, hissing beneath her breath. "What on earth did you take?"

Nina looked up hesitantly, her frown neutral.

"Nothing much. I couldn't carry a whole lot, so I snagged a few small things. Couple of trinkets. A golden doorknob. I think that was about it... You wouldn't believe how quickly they were bought around here, so they made decent money for just a few petty trinkets and a doorknob. I'm pretty glad with the way things turned out."

"The _castle?_ "

"Oh, still hung up about that..."

"How'd you get in there? We couldn't even get into the city without flashing the guards some cash!"

Nina gave her a confident smirk. Perhaps it was the equivalent of Soleil's leers, except it was far more smug in nature.

"You'll learn eventually. Once we get to Fort Jinya, I'll have no choice but to reveal all my secret tactics, otherwise we won't be able to sneak through with our skin still on." She took another small sip. "Even though I was able to get into the castle undetected, it could've been a whole lot easier if I had the proper tools. I was only able to be successful because I was alone. Once I have you tagging along with me, it's essential that I have everything I need. It's not a choice, it's a must. On the bright side, now that we've gotten some extra spending money, we should be able to get those things."

Soleil's face seemed rather hesitant, especially while she replaced the coin back in the satchel, which she then began to paw at absentmindedly. A lip pooched out, and a brow dropped.

"Yeah... But come on, Nina... Stealing's wrong,"

Nina crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes.

"So is a girl liking girls."

"I know, I know. I told you I'm working on it, haven't I?"

"You don't act like it."

"At least I try at all. It may not be all the time, but I shoot an attempt every now and then, especially when I'm-" Leave it to the moment of have an elegant pair of ladies walk by their table, sashaying and giggling to one another. Like clockwork, Soleil paused, silently spying on them as they came and went. Watching the scene unfold, Nina sighed and started to count.

Three...

Two...

One...

And Soleil had bounced from her seat, puffed out her chest, spaced out her square shoulders, and skipped over to the pair as though she found the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. When she stopped, she stopped at the precise angle that glorified the sinewy of her arms, unprotected nor covered. She flashed them her grin.

"Hey there, wanna come sit and drink tea with us? I think there's nothing in the world better than having some tea with a pair of adorable girls such as yourselves!"

Her answer would only be strange expressions, and, all of a sudden, it felt as though everyone was staring at them at once. The attention evoked a flush on the women, and they turned to one another, perplexed. One finally had the guts to clear her throat and shake her head.

"Sorry, but we are already leery of strangers, especially strangers who stay in their sleepwear during the day." The two walked away, laughing to one another for reasons unknown. Standing in the wake of the rejection, Soleil slouched, then dared to look over her shoulder. Nina didn't seem too impressed, but a smirk, smothered, could be seen tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Way to go, try-hard."

Speaking of lovebirds...

Siegbert had at last been permitted to roam freely about camp, and it was on that particular day he found himself alone with Velouria, sprawled out on the green lawn. As insisted by the latter, laying on the grass to get a good bath from the warm sun was good for the muscles, mind, and relaxation. Siegbert could sort of see where that claim was coming from, but he had yet to delve in the sort of trance Velouria went on and on about. When he turned his head to the side, though, he could most definitely see it. She snoozed at his side, her tail swishing back and forth on the ground, and her fingers crawled over to his palm every so often with intentions to lock them together. He couldn't deny it: the sun did feel great, even when he was wrapped almost head to toe in bandages and still had his share of pulsing wounds.

Speaking of wounds, after while of relaxation, the girl stirred to roll over, reaching her hand over to his arm. With a few failed attempts, her fingers took the cuff of his sleeve, then rolled it up. Beneath, it revealed a mummified limb, which she observed contently.

"How're you feeling today?" she inquired, leaning in to take a closer look. She knew he preferred to object to such actions, but she did them anyway. Without a word from him, she unraveled the gauze, revealing teeth marks that littered his arm. Not even a second thought passed her mind before she began running her tongue over them tenderly. The sensation, more than evidently, made him cringe, then squirm in attempt to get away. He suppressed himself, however, and was able to remain still, no longer taking in the comfort of the warm sun. His eyes widened, though, and his teeth grit uncomfortably.

"V-Velouria... h-haven't we talked about this?"

Before she responded, she licked him several times more.

"Mmhm." Her head rose, and her tongue ran over the brim of her lips to pick up stray spots of crimson. "So why do you still have a problem with it?"

"W-Well..."

"Part of understanding your future subjects is understanding the way of those who're like me." She returned to licking. "Wolfskin lick their mate's wounds, don't you remember? Not only is it a ritual, it's also sanitary."

Siegbert flushed, but made no attempt to hide it.

"Yes, that is true, but... um... I'm not your mate, Velouria."

"Not yet you're not." The strokes of her tongue suddenly traveled up his arm, her speed far faster than before. He knew what was coming next, so he cringed in preparation. The tongue gave his cheek a long stroke, leaving behind a thick trail of wetness. Siegbert couldn't keep a grunt from escaping the prison of his teeth. "We will be someday, though, won't we?"

Awkward, a second flush arrived on his face, and his eyes closed politely. Slowly, he reached behind her head and tugged gently at her hood until it cascaded down her neck. From there, he gladly ran his fingers through her gray locks and worked through any tangles that barricaded his path.

"Yes, that's the plan..." he replied shyly. A record was set: he was able to last at least five minutes without finally wiping away the kiss that lingered upon his cheek. To his misfortune, however, Velouria happened to take notice when he caved in. Her eyes narrowed, and she was quick to retreat to his face and give him another sopping lash of her tongue, but with a vengeance. She struck him in a series of three. Despite the fact that he cringed, her victim could do nothing but burst into laughter, struggling beneath her. The more he moved, the more leeway he gave her to further her dominance over his body. Before long, she had him pinned down, furiously attacking his cheeks.

Their encounter had them quite the distracted pair, so distracted, in fact, it had gotten to the point that they didn't notice a visitor. Said visitor stood quite a distance, having noticed their strange activity, and chose to stay that way until their struggles and laughter died down. Only then did he choose to approach, but was cautious in doing so.

"My, aren't the two of you adorable," he commented with a chuckle. Only then did Siegbert and Velouria look up from each other. Almost immediately, Siegbert was red hot, scrambling up, wiping his soaking face off the best he could, and straightening his attire. The stranger only held out his hand, however, and shook his head. "Please, there's no need to get up. Stay as you are."

"N-No, that would be terribly rude." Siegbert hopped to his feet, leaving Velouria lounging on the ground, watching the two contently. "How may I help you, Shigure?" he asked then, dusting himself of grass and dirt.

Shigure smiled at his acknowledgement, then modestly crossed his hands behind his back.

"I don't need much, but if the time is bad..."

"No, no. The time is fine. I have all the time in the world."

"Excellent then," Shigure replied, pleased. "I've caught word that you and Sophie were the last to see Nina in person, am I wrong?"

"Nay, you aren't." Siegbert's head shook curtly. "After I was deemed unfit to continue on toward the capital, Soleil volunteered to be her companion."

Shigure's eyes, so the boy noticed, darkened, and that same gaze narrowed slightly. He heaved a sigh, then chose to do nothing but look away, his face heavy with contemplation.

"I see. So the rumors are true... Do you reckon Nina is in good hands?"

A nervous laugh escaped Siegbert's lips, and his eyes momentarily darted to Velouria down at his side. It was almost as if he sought after a solace of sorts, but he wouldn't find such a prize within her. She appeared disengaged from the conversation, having returned to sprawling out to bask in the sun.

"The more I consider my actions, the more I begin to worry that the decision was poor. Because her father is the retainer of my father, it will come naturally that Soleil will become my own retainer. When I linger over such, I wonder if her work would truly do me any good. If anything, when the time comes, it may be that I am the one making sure she isn't harmed rather her making sure I am not harmed. I have no problem defending a friend, but she should not be deemed retainer should such be the case."

Shigure ran an elegant finger over the peak of his chin, and his golden eyes wandered up to the clear sky.

"I take that as a negative response..." he observed. "I haven't conversed with Soleil enough to know her well and therefore make conjectures of Nina's condition."

Siegbert frowned.

"You care very much for Nina, so I've observed," he murmured.

"I do, and I agree much with her father; she needs to be retrieved at once, regardless of the consequences. I doubt an army can thrive when they know their survival was bought at the price of two young girls."

"The tone of your voice tells me you've come to discuss such with me."

"Yes, I have. I've considered asking Uncle Corrin if he would be kind enough to send an ally and myself to search for her. I believe I would blend in naturally with the atmosphere of their destination. Having been raised in Hoshido, my mother has taught me plenty of their customs and etiquette. I know enough about their culture and ways that one could easily mistake me as one of them."

Siegbert hesitated, tapping his foot on the ground rhythmically.

"I see," was the most he could utter after a while of thought. Behind him, though, Velouria released a yawn, stretched, then mewled with a subtle squeak. Her eyes fluttered open, staring at the two and their serious faces. The sight made a smile creep across her lips, then narrow her eyes softly.

"Soleil's pretty tough," she commented, rolling over. "She put up a decent sparring match with me a while back. Of course I won, but she still did good. Give her the benefit of the doubt, why don't you?"

The boy's eyes returned from her, reuniting with one another's, and they carried out a silent conversation. Granted, it wasn't very long, and nothing much got across since the two didn't appear to be fluent in the language in each other's gaze.

"I'll consider it," Shigure replied. "I want to trust my allies with my all, but my concern overrides any of that sort of determination. Surely you understand."

Siegbert nodded gently.

"Completely. By the way, Shigure, when the time comes in which you request such a privilege of Uncle Corrin, I am willing to join you in the search. I am responsible for sending Soleil with Nina. Even though I said I would take no responsibility should something happen, I cannot help but feel the opposite. The guilt wells within me and tortures me each night."

At that moment, Velouria's eyes bolted open, and she angrily directed them to her lover.

"You haven't told me that. What happened to telling each other everything?"

The boy paused nervously.

"Y-Yes, I was going to eventually get to it..." He couldn't add any additional sentences, for she had risen and angrily trudged up to him. Even Shigure thought it wise to back off at least a step or so.

"Yes, let's get to that now..." She took him by the ear and dragged him away, leaving Shigure alone in the midst of the grassy plain of the castle's yard.

Nina wasn't that big of a shopper, never being one to willingly drop a dime. The only sort of shopping she liked was walking through some sort of manor and snagging anything that looked fancy or expensive. On the other hand, Soleil was enthusiastic about almost anything, including shopping, so the morning treated her quite well. Repaying the inn a visit after their morning tea had the two share breakfast, then gather their things. Packed down like mules, they returned the key to the receptionist and at last kissed the wretchedly overpriced inn goodbye. They weren't sad to see the prices go, but they were certain to miss the bed and the bath.

They found themselves wandering around the city before long, observing the several shops that screamed for their attention and time. It was midday, and with midday came the bustling masses of a crowd. In an attempt not to lose one another in an ocean of faces, Soleil clung to a braid. Needless to say, she wouldn't be able to hold onto one for long, for its owner was quick to whip around and give her a scowl. The scowl was easy to read: hands off.

"So... What do we need?" Soleil eventually asked after a while of aimless wandering. Her neighbor, once gazing up at an unblemished sky, returned her gaze.

"Anything I know we'll need for the mission. I've been able to create tools out everyday products because I had nothing better to use at the time, but now that we're here in this giant town, I can only imagine what sorts of nifty things we can find."

Soleil cocked her head to the side.

"Why not write yourself a list?" She released a sigh suddenly, and her eyes grew distant as they stared off into a non-important direction. "Hm... I remember when I was back in the Deeprealms... Dad used to send me to the market all the time with a shopping list to get some groceries... Good times..."

"I'd make one if we had the right type of paper. We can't write with charcoal, that's exclusively a Nohrian utensil. Since we're Hoshidan, we need brushes, ink, and scrolls."

A huff came from the taller.

"Psh. Sounds like a load. Don't they see how inconvenient it is to carry around a jar of ink, a brush, _and_ a scroll with them just to write? I don't get Hoshidans."

"Yeah. They also seem to like stupid looking hats and painful shoes. I don't get them either." Said shoes at last began to move, taking Nina to a random shop that stood in the midst of many others. It was hidden in plain sight, unable to scream over the loud colors decorating its friends. "Let's just start here. This looks like a variety store, so we'll never know what we'll find."

Without any opposition, her frenemy skipped along after her.

Inside the shop, cramped, the two squeezed around, careful not to brush up against any merchandise stocked along shelves that pressed against their sides. Being the one with the broader shoulders, Soleil struggled the most, but managed to maintain her composure and keep up. Nina was far more down to business, scanning every cabinet meticulously. Thus far, she saw nothing but things that would be considered worthless. Trinkets. Decorated boxes. Children's toys. Wooden goods. Kitchenware. Possessing not the mind of a person of stealth, Soleil was less serious in her browsing, instead choosing to observe everything she saw with the curiosity of a tourist.

Nothing seemed to capture Nina's interest until they stumbled upon a certain section of glass goods. Some of the things available were awfully pretty, seeing that they reflected the golden glow of a distant candle, but they were nowhere near necessary... That is until, at last, the leader paused. Having not been paying attention to her, Soleil accidentally bumped into Nina, but was luckily able to catch the back of her collar before she could lose her balance and flop onto the floor.

"Find something?" Soleil inquired. While recovering from the impact, Nina reached out to a shelf, where her careful fingers wove in between glass bowls and cups to retrieve a square reflector. She held it up to her face, then narrowed her eyes. Having seen her, Soleil released a snicker. "Oh. You just wanted to get a look at that pretty face of yours."

"Of course not," the other scoffed, straightening her spine. She held the mirror up as if presenting something worthy of fame and glory. "This just so happens to be a vital tool when it comes to infiltration, perhaps even hiding in general."

Again, Soleil snickered.

"Oh _really,_ " she replied, partially unconvinced.

"Yes, _really._ "

"I don't believe you." She saw Nina's eyes roll, then pull herself away to stride down the rest of the aisle. Because she felt the need to, Soleil chose to remain put.

"Sure you don't," Nina called from the other end of the shelf. She hid behind the second one, shielded from her companion's view, but continued to speak. "Here's your first lesson on how to spy on people. This is probably the most important law of them all." Soleil would then see her peek around the corner of that same aisle, staring her down stoically. "Law One: if you can see them, they can see you. It's called line of sight. It doesn't matter how hidden you are; when whoever you're hiding from is in your field of vision, you're vulnerable to also being seen. That's too big of a risk to take."

Soleil set her hands in her hips, only to have an elbow brush against something it shouldn't have. She quickly retracted them back to her sides.

"Cool. What's the mirror gonna do?"

"Come here and I'll show you."

Curious, she obeyed, soon arriving at the other's side. Forcefully, Nina tugged at her arm, pulling her further behind the aisle.

"We're hiding, remember?"

Soleil blinked.

"We are?"

"Yes. Now watch." She held up the mirror then, turning it at just the right angle to get a good view down the aisle at their side; the sight brought an impressed grin on the observer's face, and she was quick to turn back to her partner. "The best part is that anyone walking down that row won't even know we're here."

"Whoa, did you figure that out all on your own?"

Nina shrugged, pulling the square back to her side.

"Gotta use what I can..." she replied modestly. She cracked a condescending smirk despite anything her tone dared to lie about.

And thus began their embark on a shopping spree. The two ended up wandering around the square, stopping at shop after shop to enthusiastically prowl down aisle after aisle in search of the perfect piece of equipment. Nina would explain the purpose of every object she picked up at Soleil's request, but, of course, kept her tone low and secret. She hunched over once retrieving a folded sheet, squeezing it forcefully.

"Sheets. If we're ever being chased, we can use this as a distraction to get our pursuers off our tail. All we have to do is unfold it and throw it someplace we're not running. The sound of drapery will draw them the wrong way, and by the time they realized they've been tricked, we would've had plenty of time to get our distance."

"Genius!"

After purchasing the sheet, which they used to swaddle the mirror, they moved on to the next vendor, where Nina was almost instantly drawn to a rack of beauty supplies. Her hands scrambled through combs and picks alike, brushed aside herbal lotions, and at last found what appealed to her the most: a box of hair pins. Without a word, she pulled said box open, peered inside, then cracked a smile. She displayed her find to Soleil, who quickly showed signs of confusion.

"I can pick almost any lock with these if I'm given enough time. While I'm busy doing that, you can keep watch and give me a warning in case you see someone coming by."

Soleil raised a brow.

" _Any_ lock?"

"I know I'm good, but I said _almost_ any lock; there's a certain kind that Corrin uses on a chest in his room that I just can't crack..."

A line of rope was easy for Soleil to figure out, so there was no explanation needed. Likewise applied to a pair of dark colored robes Nina yanked off a rack in a clothing shop. By the time they were done with their little trip, they paused at the exit of what was their final destination, where they took the time to sort things through their bags. The majority of what they had purchased went into Nina's less heavy load, and when nothing more would fit, Soleil took the last few items. They weren't heavy, thank goodness, so there was nothing worth complaining over.

"You didn't get as much as I thought you would," Soleil eventually commented, drawing the eyes of her partner. Nina stared hesitantly at her momentarily.

"I don't want to sound rude, but-"

"Oh trust me, I won't be offended... unless it's about boys. I'm not in the mood to argue about boys today."

"No, I'm not going to argue about boys, as amazing and charming and strong and beautiful as they are..." She had to clear her throat to get back on track. "The rest of what helps me with spying is nothing more than skill and technique, which you don't have. I hate to say it, but you're going to be a deadweight when we get to heavily secured areas. The Great Wall of Suzanoh, for example, is one of the places I'm the most worried about. That wall is so high it'll be nearly impossible to scale, and the top of the wall will probably be so full of archers it would be suicide to try flying over it with a pegasus or a wyvern. We'd have no choice but to go through the gate, and chances are they won't let us through without this merchant certification those Izumite guards were talking about..."

Soleil shrugged, crossing her arms with a rhythmic series of tsks.

"Sounds like we have some work cut out for us," she observed. "If that's the case, why can't we just go around the wall?"

Nina frowned.

"What kind of question is that? The wall goes as far east as the Hoshidan sea, and I'm sure a navy would be waiting for us there. Not to mention it stretches miles and miles and miles long... It'd take us weeks just to get to the end of one side. We don't have that sort of time on our hands."

Soleil nodded.

"Let's get going then. We shouldn't be wasting our precious time standing around here." She tugged her load up with a grunt, then slung it over her back. When it landed there, she hunched over to better her hold, then finally straightened her posture. Nina was in the process of doing the same with the bag of her own (a far easier task than Soleil's), but she would quickly be interrupted when distant ramblings happened to catch her ear. Soleil appeared to notice as well, for they were soon standing side by side, staring into the store with their dumbfounded faces. The clerk, they saw, stood behind the counter, surrounded by at least five Izumite guards. They were armed with naginatas and other intimidating blades, and as a result, the defenseless clerk cowered below them.

"O-Over there, sirs... That young woman over there is the one who sold me the doorknob. I swear I didn't know it belonged to His Majesty! I was simply told by that girl that she was a treasure hunter. She supposedly found this golden doorknob in the midst of treasure while exploring a cave north of Mokushu. She offered a great deal on it; It was a deal I couldn't turn down!"

The man pointed, horrifyingly enough, toward the two, his hand quivering in fear. Following his finger, they would soon find the guards staring at them as well, their faces hardening. Almost instantly, Soleil turned to Nina, where she found that her neighbor had turned white, the hairs in the back of her neck standing on end.

"Cr-Crap..." she managed to whisper as her feet began to back away.

"Which one, sir?" asked a guard.

"That one. The merchant with the white hair and the braids."

A guard released a growl.

"It sounds like we have a pair of thieves in disguise! Get her and the accomplice!"

The next thing they knew, there was a thundering crowd of men stampeding toward them. Horrified customers steered out of their way, and any merchandise unfortunate to not be able to move were knocked and smashed onto the ground. They shouted, demanding that they stop, and raised their weapons high in the air in warning.

Soleil, terrified, began backing away as well.

"Wh-What do we do, Nina? Fight or flight?" she inquired urgently, only to receive a nasty look from who she asked.

"What do you mean flight, dummy? We can't fly! We run!" She turned around to hightail away, where she delved into the unsuspecting crowd of faces. Soleil knew the small kodachi hiding in her robe would do nothing against a dozen naginatas, so she was wise enough to follow in the dust of her companion. The two shoved their away through the sea, tripping in some instances, but able to regain their balance by grabbing onto the clothes of one of the many people available to them. Most of those people didn't know what the heck was going on, that is until they saw the ocean parting behind them. An aisle formed to allow through a parade of angered guards.

Soleil struggled to keep up, being loaded down the way she was. To her fortune, however, Nina happened to be considerate enough to take notice. Her pace slowed briefly to allow the other to catch up, but was then quick to speed away again. When she looked over her shoulder, Soleil would be horrified, for she saw how the isle behind her was growing closer. Men, uninterrupted in their running, were rapidly covering more ground.

"They're gaining on us!" the slower exclaimed.

"I see that!" Nina had just gotten done shoving the umpteenth bystander out of her path. It was a man carrying his basket of daikons, which was soon to meet the ground and scatter across the pavement of cobblestone. Careful not to slip on their brand new obstacles, the two kept on desperately.

"Can't you pull off one of your tricks to get 'em off our tail? What about that sheet you got?"

"It only works at night, you dummy! What idiot's going to chase a sheet thrown up in the air?"

"Then don't you have any tricks for daytime?"

"Of course not! I don't get chased during the day!"

"Why not?"

"I only work at night!" Suddenly, she took a sharp turn to the right, where she disappeared in an alley. It took some doing, but the follower was able to maneuver herself after her. Shielded from the sun, and dealing with far less people in their path, they were able to pick up on speed, but it came at a price. Before long, their speed only brought them to a dead end. When they stopped, they turned around with horror, hearing shouts echo down the hall.

"They went this way! In the alley!"

They frantically searched for something, anything, that would aid in their escape. One thing happened to catch Nina's favor. It was a drainage pipe that ran up the wall, leading to a roof. Without hesitation, she mounted herself upon it, then began to expertly scale it like an animal. Left behind, Soleil grunted.

"N-Nina, you know I can't climb up that thing; I've got too much weighing me down!"

Dismayed, Nina looked down at her, munching on a lip. To Soleil's surprise, and flattery, she dropped back to the ground, recollected herself, then darted to her back.

"Stand still," she growled before violating the opening on Soleil's pack. Concerned, Soleil leaned back, eyes widening.

"What're you doing? If you're trying to make the load lighter, we don't have the time."

"I'm not. I'm getting a hairpin."

"A... hairpin?" Soleil echoed in horror, only to have her eyes dart over to a lone, distant postern beside them. She grit her teeth in attempt to continue with her father's philosophy: just keep on smiling. Just keep on smiling... Nope, she couldn't do it right now, as pitiful as it sounded. "You're not gonna-"

"Yep." Nina was away at the door almost instantly, jamming the pin in the lock. Her hands furiously worked away, jiggling around and stopping to change direction at certain angles. The shouts were growing closer, so the other noticed with fear. Out of necessity, Soleil at last caved in to the desire to unsheathe the kodachi hiding in her clothes. With blade born, she prepared herself for a fight...

After all, she was here for a reason: not to protect herself, but to protect that frenemy of hers. She was an escort. A retainer. It was a job she wanted and she should not take such a responsibility lightly.

Luckily, before she could engage in any sort of combat, Nina called out to her. When she looked, she found the door open, her partner furiously beckoning her inside. Without any opposition, they intruded, sure to slam the door shut in their wake. Come to find out, the building they violated happened to be an abode of sorts, for the halls were decorated and comfy. They didn't have the time to stop and admire the scenery, however. They rushed the quickest they could, trying to evade the screams that came from rooms they passed.

They ran through a kitchen, where a strange woman was babysitting a pot of lunch. She exclaimed at them in their passing. The kitchen vomited them back into a hall, where they turned sharply around a corner. A little ways ahead, Nina nearly slipped. Her savior would be her follower, who promptly returned her to her feet and gave her a good shove forward. They burst through a paper door then, where they discovered themselves in a washroom. The tub was occupied, and its user was quick to release a screech as they rushed to the window. Nina threw it open, allowed Soleil to climb out first, then flew out herself like a chipper bird in the morning.

Back in the streets of the square, the two were tiredly trotting along, hiding themselves in the masses of faces. They hunched lowly to take cover, sure to stay close to each other. Quivering, Soleil replaced the kodachi in her clothes, then guided herself to Nina's side. They made themselves small as they weaved through the crowd.

"Wh-What're we gonna do?"

"I don't know," Nina replied stiffly. "Chances are they've already gotten at least a pair of guards at the gates. They're probably aware that there's thieves loose in the city, so they might've put the whole place on lockdown. No one gets in, no one gets out, no matter where they're from or what they look like."

"Surely we can come up with a way to get out... right? You're the thief, so this should be right up your alley!"

"I'm thinking, okay? I'm just as scared as you are!"

"This is what you get for going to the castle in the middle of the night! Why didn't you just stay in bed? We could've avoided this altogether!"

"I wasn't anticipating them to notice something was missing so soon! It usually takes people weeks!" They both paused suddenly before they could argue any further. The front gate caught their eye.

It was completely defenseless.

Soleil would've made a beeline for the exit had her partner not paused. When she spied upon her face, she would see it smothered in prejudice and coated with worry. Evidently, Nina wasn't trustful, and when Nina wasn't trustful... she was usually right. When time passed them by, worry clouding her judgement, the other at last cleared her throat.

"No one's there."

"That's what worries me," Nina replied snappily. "It's got to be some sort of trap. See? Look on top of the wall. They've positioned guards there, and my best guess would say they're all armed with ranged weapons like bows. If we run out and it rains arrows on us... I think that's where our mission would come to an end."

"It's not like we have any better ideas of escape... Do you? Please tell me you do..."

"No, I don't." Nina's brows furrowed. "We have no choice but to leave the way we came in, but we can't take the risk of being shot. We'll wait until nightfall. It'll be harder for the them to aim when there's less light. Until then, we need a place to hide."

On a negative note, the two crawled away from the crowd, searching for shelter from the eyes that scattered about the city, scrutinizing every nook and cranny.


	7. Sacrificial Terror

As of late, Shigure had been busy. Well, busier than usual. He had been trekking around camp meticulously, observing all that was going on around him. Like he, everyone appeared to be rather busy as well. They were bustling about and gathering things left and right. Tents were being packed and situated into manageable sizes, and weapons, carried in bulk, were delivered to those who needed them. From the forge came the distant sounds of clinking and clanking, and the shouts of busy workers warned those who passed.

It was that time again: the army was on the verge of continuing their conquest. It was only a matter of time before they would be marching onward through the eastern side of the continent, armed for war. Shigure, a pacifistic soul, wasn't entirely enthralled by the idea, but his mother's voice always came to mind. He wanted to be there to protect her, and, likewise, she wanted to be there for him.

Shigure had already been done with his work for a while, seeing that he had little to pack and carry. That didn't mean he still didn't have work ahead of him; it was dire that he found and held a chat with Corrin. After a while of hesitation, he had at last worked up the courage to present a proposition. It was a rather selfish idea, but it nagged him to death. It even kept him wide awake in the dark hours of the night. The stress left him pitiful before long with bags hanging from beneath his eyes and his senses dulled. Even his singing, Azura pointed out, began to drag and sound dreadfully exhausted recently (then again, it may have been because they sang the same darn song over and over again).

Despite Shigure's efforts, Corrin proved to be difficult to find. He was nowhere to be seen in his private quarters. Only Felicia was there, packing some of his things. She promptly directed him to the head of camp, where Corrin was promised to be overseeing his army and estimating the best time to depart. To Shigure's ill luck, the journey to the front left him just as fruitless. Either he was sent on a goose chase or Corrin had been migrating throughout camp. Either was equally infuriating. Being rather temperamental, the conditions were ideal for his irritation to inflate. For the sake of others, and his image, Shigure made an effort to avoid the majority of his peers and fixate himself strictly upon his work. Every once in a while, however, he got tired and finally caved in. Though his pride wasn't so keen on the idea, he eventually wound up asking around, hoping anyone could direct him.

Benny, once marveling at the distant sunset, had little to offer.

Likewise applied to his neighbor, Arthur.

Siegbert had been helping his mother pack before Shigure arrived. He didn't appear to have been very attentive to the subject, but his mother, Charlotte, happened to peer up from rolling her tent. She gazed at him with interest.

"Oh, you're looking for Lord Corrin?" she inquired, to which Shigure promptly returned with a curt nod.

"I am."

"Good thing you asked me. I saw him walking to the council tent a while back. Heard there was going to be an early meeting held this evening. Be careful if you plan on interrupting the adults and their adult talk." She gave him a wink. While walking away, Shigure eventually gardened a slight smile, and his eyes brightened.

"Charlotte seems like such a kind lady," he commented to himself as if nothing was wrong with the world.

And, for the moment, it did seem that nothing was wrong with the world, for when Shigure softly brushed aside the curtain to the war council tent, his eyes lay themselves upon Corrin. He stood in the center of the gathering, making motions to a map he poked and dragged his finger across countless times. One particular instance, as Shigure eased inside, attention was brought to the map's center, where a point was distinctly marked "Kitsune Hamlet".

"For the sake of time, we have no choice but to cross through the hamlet," Corrin stated before running his finger around either side of the territory. One finger traveled over the sandy shores of the eastern coast, the opposite scaled the steep mountains of the west. "Soleil and Nina have chosen one of these two routes as a detour around the Kitsune territory. They'll cover land quickly, so it's important that we travel fast to stay as close to them as possible. The fastest route our army can take is through the hamlet, but by the time we reach the middle of Kitsune territory, we can best suspect that Soleil and Nina have already reached the vicinity of the Eternal Stairway. It's still quite a distance, but we'll at least be moving at a constant pace."

A hand went up quickly after his speech, drawing the crowd's eye.

"Milord. By the time the spy and her companion return from the capital, where do you suspect the army to be positioned?"

Corrin turned back to the map, where he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

"So long as both parties travel the fastest they can without encountering any mishaps, I can best assume we will reunite just before we launch an attack on Fort Jinya. This will be favorable. The battle there will be rough, so we'll need all the hands we can get."

Even though he lingered, it became evident that Shigure had yet to be noticed. It ultimately went to his benefit, for he slipped inside and hid himself amongst the gathering. He remained there, listening to the meeting until it ended. When it did, he stayed, even when the rest of the army had departed from the tent to continue with their business. Corrin took notice of him before beginning to routinely take his things, and, based off the way his ruby eyes glinted, he seemed to have figured why he was there. The man stood, frowning, and slowly approached him.

"Good evening, Shigure," he greeted calmly. "Sorry if I'm wrong, but I assume you're here because of Nina."

Shigure looked away awkwardly with the only eye peeking beyond his bangs. The toe of his boot began to trace a strange oval in the dirt beneath them.

"You guess correctly, milord. I've been thinking lately... and I'm quite sure my ideas aren't original in the slightest, but..." His shoulders stiffened as he lifted his head. "It is in my interest to assist in retrieving she and Soleil."

Corrin nodded slowly, as if silently confirming his suspicions. A finger ran over his chin then, and his eyes closed. A sigh escaped either of his nostrils in an attempt to mask a hidden emotion.

"I understand how you feel," he mentioned. "Would you believe me if I said Percy came to me a few days ago with the same request?"

Shigure, lightly, gave way to a chuckle.

"I certainly would... and I also assume you didn't humor him."

"Of course. But you on the other hand... You're more difficult to deal with. Not because I think you'll have a temper if I decline, but because I feel that I would be disposing of a prime opportunity." His head sunk. "Our situation isn't good, Shigure. Not only are we at constant risk of being discovered, we're also close to losing six soldiers at once. If those girls don't ever come back to us, I can only imagine how angry their mothers and fathers would be. I would understand if they chose to desert the army because they believed I neglected their children." Again, he eyed the boy. "And that's where the circle comes back around. If I sent you out, you also run the risk of never returning. I'm sure Azura would never forgive me. But even so... You're one of the only people I would dare think about sending. You would blend in with Hoshido perfectly, but I can't stand the thought of endangering any more of our youth. Besides... You're too young to be worrying about any of this."

Shigure remained still, head sinking, but eyes bright and filled to the brim with thought. His mind, artistic and creative, worked to produce so much as an inkling of an idea. Nothing came to, at least nothing noteworthy and worth presentation.

His efforts ultimately went to disappoint him, then return his gaze to Corrin.

"I understand," he whispered solemnly, frowning.

When he departed from the tent after a few minutes more of needless conversation, Shigure's gaze wandered up to the sky. His yellow eyes met with the yellow moon. It was the same moon Soleil and Nina were gazing upon, he was sure, and eventually began praying for their safety.

He was correct, for it was that moon that Soleil and Nina gazed upon. It was the first thing they saw upon departing from their hiding place: a musty storm shelter. Soleil was the most eager to leave after a day full of griping. She clearly wasn't a fan of staying in one place for too long, but it was Nina who had to constantly remind her to remain still. Not once had they experienced any issues throughout the day, to their fortune, for their hiding place had not been considered by their Izumite pursuers.

As they crawled outside, where they bathed themselves in moonlight, both gave way to a hefty stretch and a grunt. The darkness of their alley helped conceal their position, and the silence soothed them into a steady moment of relaxation. Soleil was the last to quit her stretching when Nina, hunched over slyly, passed her by.

"Do you have the time?" Soleil inquired upon relieving her arms to her sides. Her partner simply gazed up to the sky, then cleared her throat.

"My guess would be sometime after twenty-two." She cloaked her tone in the shadow of silence, sure to keep it especially low. "The time doesn't matter so long as we have our darkness. That's all we need."

The two embarked on their trek through the alley, which emptied into a wide road. The road happened to be inhabited by a fair number of people, all chattering amongst themselves. Their tone housed worry, so they could hear.

"Haven't you heard? His Majesty was robbed last night and they found the culprits here in the city. They weren't able to catch them, so the kingdom is on lockdown. They won't let anyone out or in until the thieves are found, so there's no telling how long it'll be before anyone's allowed outside these walls!"

"That's awful, but I honestly don't see a reason to leave here. I'm perfectly content in Izumo."

"Oh, but I have a son I planned to see in Hoshido next week. If those thieves aren't found in time, I won't be able to travel to meet him..."

Nina and Soleil carried themselves neutrally, or at least tried. Their ears wedged themselves between people's conversations before their eyes eventually became attracted to one another. When they exchanged glances, they brought their walking to a halt and decided to migrate to a dark corner.

"Sounds like you were right. Nobody's getting outta here," Soleil grumbled, but her face didn't match her tone. She attempted to smother the situation with a slight smile. It was that smile that made Nina squint her eyes and heave a bitter sigh.

"As expected..." she replied. Just a little ways from them was the front gate, where two men stood with their naginatas. Along the top of the wall, torches permitted her to see many archers. "And to make things worse, they beefed up their patrols."

"How're we going to make it past those two guys up front? Do we fight them?" Soleil, almost too eagerly, reached into her clothes with anticipation. Nina halted her from drawing her kodachi with a simple, but demanding, pat on the wrist.

"No. The last thing we need is Izumite blood on our hands. If we attack, chances are they'll trail us all the way to Hoshido for revenge, and if that happens... Well, it'd be bad to corner ourselves somewhere on accident. One enemy is enough to handle."

Soleil nodded and allowed her palm to depart from her clothes.

"Whatever you say. What's your alternative?"

Nervously, Nina ran a thumb over her chin, and worry clouded in her eyes. Her hands went behind her head, where they grabbed two braids and proceeded to release them.

"The only thing we _can_ do..."

Two Izumite guards would be surprised when they were approached by a strange young woman. Her head was covered by a dark material, and over her body was a simple white sheet. The best they could conclude was that she was either poor or part of some strange religion, both of which seemed equally plausible. Regardless of odd appearances, she looked deeply distressed, especially as she rushed up to them. She paused at their feet, huffing to catch her breath, then whipped her head up to gaze at them with fear in her eyes.

"Sirs! Sirs! My house was broken into by two bandits! They ran off with all of my precious family heirlooms before my husband could catch them! Please, help my husband. He went after them! Oh, if he were to get hurt by those thieves... I'd never forgive myself!"

The guards, at first, were taken back by the urgency in her tone, but soon drew just a bit closer with concern.

"Ma'am." One made an attempt to comfort her by placing his palm on her shoulder, which he gripped tightly. "Where do you live and which way do you suppose those thieves were headed?"

The girl shed a worried tear.

"I live in the commons... and I believe the robbers were running straight for the commercial district! Please! Please before they're too far gone!"

One guard rushed off after a brief exchange with his partner, and he disappeared into an ocean of faces. He called out to his fellow guards as he ran, directing them to follow. Left behind, the last guard glanced at her, then lowered himself to level their faces. There, the two exchanged stares before the guard lowered his brows.

"There, there, now, ma'am. Everything is going to be okay. You have my word: we won't rest until those thieves are captured. Much like yourself, the Archduke's Royal Guard has a reason to pursue those thieves. They will be captured no matter what, and we'll make sure they're punished thoroughly."

The girl seemed to relax a smidgen, for her shoulders released and her head sunk.

"Oh, thank goodness..." she mused. "I'm so relieved."

The guard, strangely enough, eased closer to her face. An uncomfortable face of suspicion roused onto his expression. The girl appeared to be visibly unsettled by the glare.

"Say, ma'am. You seem quite young to be married."

"Y-Yes... I um... get that a lot. I have a very youthful face to boast. Wonderful, isn't it? When my peers are wrinkly and gray, I'll still be in my prime." The man didn't notice what he should have. The girl's hand slowly reached behind her back and crept underneath the sheet wrapped around her torso. It was her speech that clearly distracted him. Her fingers fondled a sack tied to her waist, then proceeded to dig. She clenched her prize in her fist tightly.

"That's quite interesting, ma'am. If you have a secret to your youthful appearance, my wife would be-" He gave way to a shout when a cloud of flour hit his face and invaded his eyes. He hunched over, screaming and yelling, while his visitor made a beeline past him. From behind, Soleil, loaded down like a mule with both packs, emerged from a shadowy alley with intentions to join her. Once they met up a little ways from the gate, the two broke into a sprint, where they soon stumbled out of the front. Having heard all the ruckus of the man who stayed behind, rubbing his eyes furiously, the line of archers across the top of the wall immediately brought their bows to action. A simple tug backward soon had them lethal.

"We have escapees! Fire at will!"

The sky cried arrows as though dark clouds had gathered. The whirring screams of sticks could be heard from far below, where the two dashed across the dark yard. The majority of the arrowheads littered the ground around them, each with a stiff pat, but a few happened to have a pinch of good luck. The packs on Soleil's back, made from thick cow hide, were stabbed. Their carrier released a frightened yelp before attempting to quicken her pace.

"Run faster!" Nina urged from ahead, only to receive a tired glare from behind.

"Easier said than done!" Soleil looked up then, soon hurried by the sight of several arrows more. They rushed across the brightness of the moon as nothing but a silhouette, but it didn't take an engineering mind to see where they were headed. They were getting frighteningly close to both of them, but Nina in particular was the closest. Horror washed over Soleil when possibilities danced across her mind. One arrow to the calf was all it took to hinder her completely, and she would then be dependent on Soleil to carry her to safety. Soleil was strong, but not the strongest; the weight of the baggage hanging from her back, combined with Nina, may be enough to encumber her, and she'd definitely be the next to get shot.

She had to do something quickly.

As if she had been overcome by an unforeseen force of strength, Soleil's pace quickened. Her legs burned, but she couldn't feel it. Her lung gasped for breath, but she managed to stay conscious.

 _"I have a job! This is my job! I vowed I'd protect her, so here's where I accomplish my duty!"_

She threw herself right on top of Nina's tail, then turned to the side. Her shoulder raised over her face as if she flexed, fist clenched. Whatever arrow came flying their way would stop against the stubborn metal of her pauldron, she was sure. Both she and Nina were as good as safe.

Oh wait.

Soleil wasn't wearing her pauldron.

An intense burn erupted in the midst of her stiff bicep, drawing a roar. Though she didn't want to, she slowed and eventually drew to a crawl. From there, she hunched over, huffing each breath and clutching where she had been injured. The shaft of an arrow kept her from covering her wound completely, and when she removed her palm, she would find it covered in blood. Nina rushed up and grabbed her without saying a thing besides a few urges to power on. She became the single force that had her shove away the pain the best she could and continue. Though she was able to run on, the agony, combined with the weight on her shoulders, made Soleil stumble far more often.

The running seemed to last forever, even when they were far out of range from the walls of Izumo. They dove into the thickness of bramble. In exchange for a hindered pace, they received an ideal place to slow and prowl along, sheltered by the thicket, hiding like animals. The environment punished Soleil, for, every once in a while, the night would surprise her with the trunk of a tree. She didn't run into it, but the shaft of the arrow protruding from her arm did. Even the slightest disturbance made lightening crash down her entire arm and almost paralyze it. She never failed to release a pitiful howl.

"N-Nina..." she rasped, kicking through a pesky bush. From the front, Nina motioned her further and slowed to reunite with her.

"I know you got shot, Soleil, but we have to keep moving. I know how to treat an arrow wound, but here certainly isn't the place I can do it. I'll need light, but any sort of light will attract the guards if they decided to pursue us further. We can't afford to stop now. Not when they're so close to us. If they catch up while we're resting, we're as good as dead."

Soleil munched on her lip in attempt to contain another whimper (whimpers would most definitely diminish what she thought made her seem so cool and strong).

"I... I'm gonna pull it out..." she whispered, but the comment only made Nina whip around, horror written on her face.

"No! For the love of the gods, no! Don't you dare take that out!"

"But it keeps brushing against-"

"If you take it out, there's no telling how much blood you'll lose. I only know how to treat an arrow wound, not blood loss. Keep it in there."

"Pleeease?"

"No!"

"But Nina..."

"I said no!"

Though it was evident that she wanted to continue with their argument, Soleil decided to keep her mouth shut. Nina was a girl of strong will, and it was likely that she would suffer from angry fires of wrath if she decided to disobey her. Chances were Nina was correct, for her knowledge of archery far surpassed her own. Thus, the two carried on with their trudging, and never did they stop, despite Soleil's constant requests. She stumbled often, and when she did, Nina was there to slow and allow her to catch up. It was a good thing nothing of concern crept upon them, for their progress was hindered to a poor crawl.

Every once in a while, Nina would look up to the sky to observe the sliding moon. Almost each time, her eyes narrowed, and she continued on.

"We're not far enough yet," she would simply mutter. Never was it music to her follower's ears. Because nothing good graced its presence upon them, Soleil at last decided to go with her usual tactic by stretching a smile across her lips. It didn't stay long, for the arrow brushed against another stranger vine. She was able to house a squeak, but not a cringe.

"Where're we going?" she inquired after watching her leader turn for the umpteenth time. The woods, she was smart enough to figure, wasn't a good place to twist and wind a path. Nina seemed to know what she was doing, so said the confidant air rising about her figure. It was, thankfully, a mildly comforting air.

"We need to make sure we don't stray too far from the main road," she answered thoughtfully. "The last place we need to get lost in is a wooded area outside of Izumo. Remember what Corrin said? We need to be quick, especially now that we've wasted half a day camping out in a storm shelter."

Soleil, to the other's surprise, was able to muster a slight chuckle, even though misery was hidden deep inside of it.

"It was a pretty cozy one at that," she commented. "I wouldn'tve minded if we just stayed there forever, snuggled against each other to save space... We must've looked real cute like that."

Had it not been for the dark, she would have seen the ugly glare Nina gave her.

"Ugh. Even when you've been shot by an arrow you still act like this. I don't know if you really are in pain anymore, because if you aren't, I think we should just stop somewhere around here and rest."

Soleil's eyes widened.

"Wait. Like, without treating this thing?"

"Did I stutter?"

"N-No way! This thing hurts, Nina! I've been slashed a couple of times, but being shot hurts way, way more... I can't sleep like this..."

"Then we need more distance. If I'm treating it tonight, we need to get as far as we can." She peered over her shoulder. "Good thing we got some shut eye while we were waiting for nightfall. We're going to have to keep on for a few more hours before we can stop and make a fire."

Horror washed over Soleil's face.

"H-Hours?" She caved in and whimpered, only to pause a moment later when she sensed that Nina paused. To her surprise, she backtracked. Her nimble hands felt around her as she guided herself to her back, where she proceeded to tear out that arrows that had stabbed their baggage. Upon finishing, she worked to remove the bags from Soleil's shoulders. "Wait a second, what're you-"

"You're definitely in no shape to be lugging these around," she murmured. "I'm not as strong as you, so I'm not sure how long I can carry these in your stead, but I'm willing to give you however much time I can buy. An arrow wound isn't anything to laugh at."

The dark cloaked Soleil's blush as her back became relieved. It was a furious blush that only the most embarrassing things would inflict upon her, which was an accomplishment, since Soleil was seldom ashamed of anything. When she messed up, she'd shrug and remind herself that everyone else did too. When she serenaded with her off-key notes, she'd laugh with everyone else. When someone walked in on her while she was in one of her most vulnerable states... Well, she was Soleil, and Soleil never really cared about being appropriate.

They continued on in silence, that is before, at last, the slower of the two lifted her head. The blush remained.

"Hey... Nina? Thanks."

The journey, as expected, proved itself to be horrendously long. After an hour of wandering through the forest, they at last reunited with the road, which happily greeted them. With some assistance from the moonlight, Nina was barely able to check her compass, but she was certain their direction was exactly what they wanted: northeast. They continued down the road quietly, ever cautious of even the slightest of rustles around them. Every now and then, for the sake of security, Soleil checked over her shoulder with intentions to make sure nothing trailed them. Should they encounter something hostile, they both were aware, it wouldn't be good, not in the state they were in at the moment.

When the moon sunk further to the west, Nina at last came to a pause to observe their surroundings. A distant boulder that hid in the night seemed to catch her interest, for she soon skewed from their path and headed for it. Relief washed over Soleil like a waterfall. Could it be that they were finally stopping? Her suspicions were confirmed when Nina dropped the bags behind the rock, and she quickly went to work by digging inside the heavier of the two.

"Go gather some sticks if you can." Her command was simple, but dependent. So, with only one of her hands, Soleil went a little ways from her companion and began rummaging through the ground. The other arm, injured, simply flopped at her side as though it were just along for the show. When she returned with a feasible amount of starter, Soleil found Nina ready with a stone of flint and steel. Without delay, she rose to take what she brought and proceeded to build a fire, which burned within a decent span of time.

With their environment brightened, they both gave way to a sigh. The heaviest came from she that plopped at the foot of the rock and observed her arm. With horror, her eyes widened, and what little relaxation she had returned to stiffness. She released a hiss when she felt tempted to scramble away from something she knew she couldn't outrun.

"Aw man..." The amount of blood that soaked the sleeve of her top seemed to down her as well, but that appeared to be the least of Nina's concerns. She crotched next to her patient with an attentive pair of eyes, then beckoned it to an angle where the light was at its brightest.

"Let's get a look here..." she grumbled stiffly, only to be taken back by disgust. "Gah. This thing hit you pretty good... It's lodged in pretty deep."

Soleil, with worry, turned to her.

"You're not going to have to a-amputate my arm... are you?" she whispered.

"Not if I do this right." Nina turned to their luggage, which she began to dig in once again. When her hand returned, it returned with the handle of a sheathed knife. This went to terrify Soleil more, so she began to scramble away. Her rash movements came with the price of irritating her wound further.

"Ah! You are! You are going to amputate it! No no no! I can't have my arm cut off, the girls'll never think I'm cute again! I'll be a-"

"Instead of assuming things, how about you let me explain?" Nina's face was foreign. It appeared angry, demanding almost. The expression made her neighbor timidly crawl back to where she belonged, and when she was close enough, Nina took hold of her wound and observed it further. Without a word, she removed the blade from its casing, then used it to discard Soleil's arm of a bloodied sleeve. Left behind was the sight of the arrow, whose lower shaft disappeared into a hefty cluster of muscle. Its observer ran her teeth over her lower lip with discomfort. "Yep, this thing isn't going anywhere..."

With a frown, Soleil set her head against the cool surface of the rock. It soothed her, but it could not be her deliverer from the continuous throbbing in her arm. She breathed, but it was a discomforted sort of breath, and it sounded terribly miserable.

"These things hurt," was the most she could comment. While she spoke, she missed the darkness that gathered in Nina's eyes.

"I really am sorry, Soleil," she breathed. "I honestly didn't expect the Izumites to take notice of the robbery so soon. If I had known they were going to chase us, I wouldn't have bothered going to fetch some extra money."

"I'll forgive you if you fix this up... You said you could treat these kinds of wounds, right?"

Nina nodded, then retrieved the knife.

"I can, but I doubt you'll like the process." She brought its serrated edge to the arrow, getting as close to her skin as she could without touching it. There, she began sawing at it, planning to segregate it into two. It brought concern to her patient's eyes.

"Wait... Why're you...?"

"I can't pull it out right now, so I'm just going to saw off the lower half and wrap up the rest."

"Won't skin just grow over the arrowhead? It's not going to be stuck inside me forever, is it?"

"Of course not, you dummy. It'd get infected if it stayed for too long. You're going to leave it wrapped until your wound starts to secrete pus, then it'll slide out easily."

The other's skin, though it was slight, paled into a shade of light green, which made her eyes squint. She made a few noises, but they were difficult to distinguish. The most Nina could say about them was that they sounded particularly disgusted.

"Why did you have to use such a gross word..." Soleil mused.

"What, secrete?"

"No... The _other_ one..."

"Pus?"

Her answer came in the form of a copy of that same disgusted noise. In fear of saying something else that was wrong, Nina, for the most part, kept quiet as she continued to work. When she had carved nearly halfway through the arrow, she at last looked up and stared at the side of Soleil's expression.

"What were you thinking back there?"

"Back where?"

"When you jumped behind me and used your shoulder to block an arrow."

Soleil lifted her head from the rock, eyes widening. When their gazes met, the sawing came to a brief pause. There was something sincere in those eyes of Soleil's, so much that even Nina felt it and was clearly affected. Her frown sunk further down her chin the longer she observed.

"You don't know?" Soleil inquired. "Those arrows were headed straight for your back. I had to do something. It's my job, isn't it? You may not be royalty, but I'm your retainer... And I forgot my pauldron was gone..."

Nina sighed, shoulders sinking.

"Soleil... Geez. Look... I know you came in here as Siegbert's substitute, but really... You shouldn't think of yourself as a retainer. At least not mine. When we get older, we both will have our own responsibilities protecting our lords, so we should keep our loyalty exclusive to them." The deep mess of her thoughts were broken upon remembering that she had sawing to do. Soleil, on the other hand, refused to let the conversation die.

"Okay, fine. I did it because I'm your friend," she corrected herself. "And when we do grow up, I think we should ditch this whole retainer job. Sounds boring, miright? I mean, I like Lord Siegbert and all, but this traveling thing is really fun. When this war is over, no matter the outcome, we should just pack up some stuff and go our own way together. Doesn't that sound cool? First we can live a few years in northern Nohr, and then for a few years in Izumo, then a while in Hoshido..." She stopped when she received a fist to the back of the head. The blow, surprisingly, almost hurt as much as the arrow lodged in her arm.

"That sounds like something married people would do," Nina scolded.

"Whoa whoa whoa, I never said we should get married, I just said we should be travel buddies." She smiled slyly. "Heh. Unless I've managed to impress you before then..." Another whack.

"Not a chance." The arrow finally broke in two, the loose half falling to the ground. Its cutter saw it land with a air of content rising about herself. Soleil watched as she then sliced a strip of cloth from a clean section of the discarded sleeve, and, once she was ready, brought it to the wound. Another one of those brilliant comments popped into her mind, so another sly grin testified, and Nina clearly noticed it. She halted her wrapping to glare at her. "What now?"

"I think you'd make a great nurse."

"Well which one is it? Do I make a great travel buddy or a nurse? I can only be one."

"You could be a traveling nurse."

"I thought I already told you that I only know how to treat an arrow wound. I can't be a nurse if I only know how to fix one type of injury."

Soleil gave her a simple, almost apathetic, shrug.

"Better than me. I don't know how to do anything besides take a warm bath when I'm sore." While watching her work, she eventually felt tempted to wiggle her arm. When she caved in to such a desire, she immediately regretted it, for fire erupted in the site once again. "So who taught you how to do this? Was it Midori?"

Nina finished the final loop around her arm.

"No."

"Oh, I see how you are. You're going to make me guess until I get it right, aren't you? Alright. Bring it. I'm good at guessing games..." Her face eased closer to her aider, and her eyes narrowed. It seemed as though Nina's attention was on the knot, but she was far more focused on something else. Soleil knew just where to direct her fingers, make them sharp, and jab. "It was that old man of yours, wasn't it?"

She knew she scored when Nina shut her eyes with a sigh. Her final knot was tied particularly rough.

"Good guess," she muttered in defeat.

"It's a talent of mine. Ready to talk about him?"

"Nope." She rose quickly to replace the knife in one of the packs and exchange it for the rest of their fruits. She held them up for display. "Want to finish these off for dinner?"

Soleil, instead of answering, began to laugh.

"That's one of the things I love about you, Nina. You're always running from something, whether it's physical or emotional. It happens so often it's almost hilarious. Heh. Quit dodging the question, will you?"

"I gave you an answer, so I'm not dodging the question. I said I'm not ready to talk about him and that's that."

"Mmhm, and then you like getting technical when you don't have any other ground to stand on. You're not dodging the question then, you're dodging the _subject_. That sound better?"

Nina clearly wasn't in the mood to put up with Soleil's lack of answers, so she made the decision for them. After digging in the bag, where she segregated two halves of the remainder of the fruit, she plopped next to her. She was sure to give Soleil the larger portion of the ration, then heaved a sigh.

"Yup. That sounds much better."

"And then, when you acknowledge your defeat, you act like you don't even care by talking passively," she chuckled as she fished a few berries from her portion, then tossed a few in her mouth. "You sure do make it easy for me to read you. Maybe we have some kind of bond going on here..."

"I have doubts," her neighbor denied stiffly.

"I don't."

"Good for you."

"Raising the white flag already?"

"No."

"It sure sounds like you are."

"Well, I'm not."

"Un-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes."

"No."

Their night concluded... or so it initially seemed. It was a few hours until sunrise, so Nina urged to catch some shut eye before they would have to get up and continue their journey. They settled themselves against the rock after decreasing the fire to a smoldering pile of ash. They bid their good nights and became silent. Nina was the most quiet of the two, so she was the most likely to have already fallen asleep. Being the lesser when it came to physical strength, all her energy had been sapped away by a pair of backpacks. When morning came, she would have to take them up again. She dreaded the idea.

Soleil happened to be wide awake... and for good reason. Her state reverted to being pitiful thanks to her arm, which throbbed and gave her the longest of times. Nothing, she swore, could coax her into the realm of sleep, whose value had escalated to a prize. It was a trophy on a high shelf, a shelf high enough that she couldn't reach it, even when standing on the very tips of her toes. Perhaps if she pulled a chair into the picture she could change the way things were going for her... But no matter how long she looked, she couldn't find one.

In an attempt to distract herself from her dreadful misery, Soleil turned to Nina, who sat against the rock at her side.

"Pst. Hey." A steady mewl sounded from her neighbor, but she didn't budge. She took the noise as an invitation to continue with her thoughts. "You know... about what I said earlier... when I said we should be travel buddies... I wasn't really kidding. I think it'd be great to go out and do all this stuff. It's a big world out here, isn't it? I wanna see it all someday... and I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else besides you. I mean, yeah, sure I have other friends like Ophelia or Sophie, but... there's something about you that makes me real happy to be your friend, even if we're always arguing like cats..." Nina didn't answer. She must not have had anything to say. "Y-Yeah. Don't worry, sometimes I can get a little quiet when someone spills like that too. Sorry if I sounded a bit sappy there. It's not really my style, is it? Nina? Are you listening to me?" She frowned, then dared to lean closer. She brought her mouth to the other's ear, then made the sharpest clicking noise her tongue could create.

Beneath the moonlight, she saw Nina jolt awake.

"What? What do you want?" she snapped.

"I asked you a question."

"Yeah, yeah, definitely not your style..." She heaved and relaxed again, sliding down a smidgen as she spread her legs. "Look Soleil, I need to talk to you seriously here. This isn't some kind of happy-go-lucky field trip, don't you remember? This is a serious mission we're on, and that needs to be our top priority. The lives of the entire army are hanging over our heads, and if we mess up, there's no telling what'll happen. The future isn't exactly a concern of mine at the moment because we may not have one if we get distracted now. Do you get that?"

Soleil nodded stiffly.

"You sure are a grim person, Nina. Maybe it's because you're tired..."

"For once I can agree with you," she answered. "I know it goes against your nature, but I have a request for you. Be sincere. Be serious about this. Keep your mind fixed on the goal. We need to get to the Hoshidan capital as quickly as possible. Don't worry about me. Don't worry about anything else."

Become serious Soleil did, but it wasn't the way Nina was asking of her. With her eyebrows dipping, she pulled herself up suddenly, even though it pained her arm to do so.

"Hey... What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

Nina joined her in rising. When she did, perhaps to make Soleil's heartbeat skip, she drew frighteningly near, meeting eye to eye. Beneath the glow of the pale moonlight, she could make out a pair of green orbs gazing upon her sternly. She felt their demands and prepared to obeyed them, whatever they were.

"I'm only going to say this once, so listen carefully. You scared me back there, throwing yourself behind me and getting shot. Do you know what could have happened if whoever fired that arrow aimed just a little bit higher?"

Soleil looked away timidly.

"Um... I would've gotten shot further up the arm?"

"That arrow would've gone straight through your temple," she hissed back. "I get it, Soleil. You want to be a heroic like your father, but you have to listen to me. I can't have you getting hurt for my sake. Not only will we be slowed now that you're injured, if you get hurt anymore, our progress could be stopped completely."

"Now that _I'm_ injured? If I hadn't gotten in the way, you would've-"

"I know. I know..." Nina's head sunk. "And thank you. But please... Please don't do something like that ever again."

Silence settled between them as a good portion of their conversation continued in their eyes. Both stared for a while, serious as serious could get. Seldom had such an air set between them, both noticed, and it wasn't a while before neither of them could stand it any longer. Being the initiative, Soleil at last permitted a smile to be on her lips. No, it was a grin, one of the biggest she'd ever displayed for an audience.

"Aw, I know what you're trying to say." Her arms, even the injured one, stretched out quickly and took her partner captive, where she squeezed her the tightest she could. When her wound stung, she hugged even tighter. She didn't set her prisoner free, even when she squirmed and growled against the fabric of her top. "You just want me to know that you don't like to worry because I'm your _best_ friend!"

 _"Ret goh ohf me, Soreil!"_

"Sorry, I didn't hear you. What was that?"

 _"I shed ret goh!"_ Nina's arms began to flail before long, whacking her over and over again. Soleil only laughed, clenching her the tightest her muscles could clench. From her throat sounded a hum.

"I can't do what you want me to do if I can't understand. Maybe you should speak up."

But Nina would promptly gain her freedom. All it took was a fist to the butt on the arrow in her arm. As expected, a shrill followed.


	8. Ghost Arrows

The thing that woke Nina in the morning (or maybe it was still night. She wasn't entirely certain at the time) was the tiny prickles that came from cool drops of water splattering upon her face. She assumed, maybe even hoped, the sensation was a mere projection of her hyper imagination and decided to shrug it off. In doing so, she would continue her visit in the realm of slumber. However, as more time passed, the drops became more persistent and, soon enough, annoying. No matter what she did, no pit of sleep could possibly take her hand and drag her into the land of escape, an unfortunate thing, for soon enough, Nina eyes bolted open, displaying fire in their depths.

The sky, she observed, definitely hinted at morning, but made the ultimate answer ambiguous. It was light gray as if the clouds began a secret affair with the sun. She could still see, but the sight of the sky took away any sense of gratitude. Her not being a morning person could have also been a reasonable culprit, but the dark dots pelting the dirt surrounding her seemed far more suspicious. Wetness began to beat her head, which coaxed out a growl.

"Just what we needed," she muttered. "All I can hope is that this doesn't turn into a storm."

Soleil appeared to have already roused before her, so breaking the news would do neither of them much good. Upon further observation of their quaint little camp, Nina found her at the end of slipping into one of their spare pieces of clothing. A wise choice, Nina would later think to herself. It was best that Soleil wore garments that hid her wound to avoid any unwanted questions.

"Nothing wrong with a little rain, right?" her neighbor asked the moment her head popped out of the collar of the top. Like usual, she grinned.

As she rose, Nina released a groan contrary to Soleil's chipper tone, then proceeded to stretch the furthest her limbs would allow, almost to the point where it hurt. Her eyes darted around, dazed from awakening, before she heaved a sigh.

"Not when you're outside all day," she answered blandly.

"But haven't you danced in the rain before? It's the greatest feeling."

"Haven't you caught a cold before? It's _not_ the greatest feeling." She paused, alarmed at her own snappiness (which Soleil didn't deserve at the moment), and shook her head quickly. "Sorry. I'm still half asleep. Have you eaten yet?"

Soleil shrugged as she looked at an awkward direction.

"Sort of. I snacked on a few crackers when I woke up," she giggled. "You know, since they'll be soggy in a bit."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Nina checked what was now a smoldering pile of ash, gave it a good kick, then forgot all about it by turning to their two pairs of luggage. As she picked the plumper up, heaving all the way, she beckoned Soleil forth. "We should get going. We need to cover as much ground as we can in case this rain gets bad later."

"But you haven't eaten." Soleil offered a helping hand by hauling the load further atop her back. In response, Nina attempted to shoo the matter off with a shake of the head.

"Don't worry. I'll eat while we walk."

Eat while they walked she did. She munched on the aforementioned crackers as they journeyed on, their sandals beating against the moistening ground. The further they traveled, the softer the dirt road became, which presented a few obstacles such as lengthy puddles. A quick look at the compass told them that the storm was likely traveling south. Favorable, seeing that they were headed north toward the coastline. What wasn't favorable, however, was the sight of their vision becoming congested by a cloud of fog. It wasn't the thickest Nina had seen, but it wasn't the mildest either. With the fog, worst of all, came a slightly heavier shower of rain.

Before long, Soleil, once the embodiment of enthusiasm over the subject of rain, shivered and occasionally glanced over at her partner. Her hair, still unbraided from last night's disguise, became a wet and matted mess. She looked almost like a completely different person. If she were to peer into one of the many puddles they were forced to trudge through, Soleil would have seen that the rain altered her identity as well, for where once there was volume and silkiness atop her head, there was flatness and oil. It was because Soleil could not see herself she was the first to crack a joke.

"Hate to say this, but you look like hell, Nina." A snicker from her deviant lips followed. Her audience, a tough crowd, wasn't as amused, most likely because she didn't have to peer into a puddle to see the irony that lingered ever so silently between them.

Not a surprise to them, the road was not busy at all. If anything, they'd put good money on the bet that they were the only souls that occupied it for a good ways... That is until a distant, and alarming, melody emerged ahead of them, overpowering the orchestra of water beating water. It was marching, Nina was the first to recognize, and thanks to their handicap, the sounds of rain, it was difficult to distinguish what it came from. Her best guess was that it wasn't from anything she'd care to see, so she took the initiative to tug Soleil to the side of the road, where they camped out behind a small rock. It wasn't a large rock, so it was necessary that they huddled the closest they could. Given the distress of the situation, not a single comment was uttered from Soleil.

The marching only grew louder, to their dismay, which made their muscles tighten. Voices of men rang just over their hiding place, and it was dreadfully close. The sounds of flapping wings soared overhead, then the brays of angered steeds. Then suddenly, as if to to add to their horror and add to their horror only, the marching came to a screeching halt.

If they happened to choose to look, a suicidal move they didn't bother taking, they would have found men of Hoshido gathered in uniform lines, all stiff as boards. Their eyes were fixed forward as though nothing surrounding them was captivating, and their faces remained cold and stale. They had been hardened by the grueling process of war and training. The man in front, a leader presumably, happened to scan around upon stopping. Upon his expression formed the brand of suspicion and skepticism as his eyes moved gracefully along the land of fog. Not even the rain could stop him.

"Men," he announced forcefully. "It is vital that we are always on watch in places such as these. With our vision hindered, it is the prime opportunity for an ambush the Nohrians would surely embrace..." He began to stride then, dirtying his shoes further in the mud. He hovered over to the rock on the side of the road, which he gazed upon grimly. He paused before it, then, in a swift movement that had his naginata ready for action, he circled around it. "Like the scum that is hiding from... us?" What he found, contrary to his original figuring, was nothing but grass and water behind it. Not a soul lingered besides his own.

The leader was sharp, obviously, but not sharp enough. Just a little ways down the road, cloaked by the cover of clouds, Nina and Soleil carried on quickly. Each step they would try to muffle, and each breath became a chore. They were not caught in the end, but anxiety kept them horrified and as thorough as they could be. Fear silenced them for a good ways, and they kept far from the main road. Even though the rain began to give them chills and other unpleasantries, they pushed onward.

At a certain point, when she figured it was safe enough, Nina paused, turn around, and release a delayed huff.

"Looks like Corrin is going to have some issues. The Hoshidans're already sending in reinforcements..."

Whether or not her word had merit was the least of their concerns. They trudged through the rain, giving not a care to the thought of being afflicted by a sort of illness (which was sure to creep up on them eventually). They carried onward, prejudice of the road. The most recent encounter with the Hoshidans left them frightened, even though, when they were by themselves, they were confident in their disguises. Nina continuously tended to the fear in Soleil by reminding her that they could never be too sure.

The further north they traveled, the less rain they saw. Such a godsend came with a less desirable price: the cold winds from the distant ocean, which sat well with neither of them, being soaking wet. Soleil happened to be mature enough not to buzz on about how much her wound hurt from each shiver that rushed up her body, but her face wasn't, for it bore every mark of pain of which an expression could tattle. She kept her arm dormant as it swung at her side, and she never dared to make a decision as foolish as moving it. Their coldness ultimately slowed them, but not by much. Nina was persistent when it came to marching on. What time they wasted hiding in Izumo the day before had to be compensated at all costs. The idea of compensation, to neither of their liking, drove them to carry on, even when the sun had fallen.

It was utterly miserable.

Sore feet.

Nappy hair.

Shivering cold.

A painful arm.

Excruciating exhaustion.

All those factors made them furiously sigh upon deciding to stop for the night. Nina even caved into her urge to not save their sticks of fire starter. A fire was well needed, and they weren't hesitant to huddle around it as though it were an object of worship. Upon being dry enough, they eventually rose again to redress in their spare sets of clothes. Soleil would have to return to the top that was missing an arm, and, lucky for her, Nina still had hers unscathed. The soaked pair lingered beside the fire to be sapped of their moisture.

Once returning to the warmth, they began rummaging through their bags to study the damage the rain had done. To their relief, they found nothing terribly ruined, but that was before they reached into Nina's bag, where they kept their food. The crackers, as Soleil predicted, were ruined, as were the few loaves of bread beneath them. Upon pulling mush out, they heaved a sigh. A desperate sort. Any good news would do them extraordinarily well.

"So much for conservation," Nina mused. "The crackers and the bread were all we had besides some meat, and we need to save that for when the weather starts to cool off..."

While running a finger down her jaw, Soleil's gaze wandered up to the undisturbed night sky. It was pretty, but the present refused to allow her to appreciate it.

"We can eat the packed meat and hunt tomorrow," she suggested, to which Nina stiffly shook her head.

"The meat that's been packed for us has been cured, so they'll last us for a while. Instead of eating them now, we should hunt until winter moves in. It'll be here before we know it." To Soleil's surprise, she rose again, then headed toward the heavier pack. It did not take long for her to figure what it was she reached for, for soon enough, Nina began pulling out handfuls of shiny new arrows. Slightly concerned, Soleil staggered to her feet, which delivered her to Nina's side.

"H-Hey, you're not going hunting now, are you?"

From the bag came a small, but compact, yumi, which its handler inspected. Having found no faults in the weapon, she turned to her neighbor.

"Most of the animals that make a good meal are nocturnal, so yes, I suppose I am."

"But we've been walking all day and you've been carrying both bags. I can't let you go out and work some more. You need to rest for a while."

They locked eyes, a sure sign of opposition.

"Oh. I figured you wouldn't want to hunt because your arm was hurting." She held out the yumi as if she were prepared to offer it. "Was I mistaken?"

Soleil blinked.

"No... Not really. I don't know how to shoot a bow. You do. And I'm pretty sure there's little use in trying to catch a cute rabbit with a sword..."

"Uh-huh. Thought so. Since you can't, I'll go." She turned around, popping a knuckle or two in anticipation for her journey into the woods. "I'll be back in a minute, so don't worry. Try drying some things while you're waiting."

"W-Wait." Soleil rushed up to her again. "Let me go with you. I know you said for me not to worry, but really... I can't help myself. There's no telling what's out there. And what if you get lost? If we both get lost together, it won't be as bad. We wouldn't have to worry about regrouping to continue. We can just keep on toward the capital from wherever it is we're at."

There was plenty of sincerity in those brown eyes of hers, which made sense if any stopped to ponder further on the matter. Even though Nina was stubborn at times, it didn't mean she wasn't reasonable. A compromise was clearly the only solution that would appease either of them, so she left the foot of the woods to return to one of the packs, into which she proceeded to dig. When her hand returned to the surface, it held one of the distress firecrackers, which she knocked upon to test its faithfulness.

"Tell you what. I'll take one of these. If I fire it, it'll mean that I'm calling for you to come find me. I'll either be lost, not likely, or under attack by something I can't handle on my own, slightly more likely. Can we agree on that?"

Soleil's response wasn't quite as cooperative. Her eyes dulled with worry as she took the cracker from Nina's hands. It was a pretty little thing, its shaft decorated by ribbons and red paint, white on its top. To use a thing designed for entertainment as an emergency tool was a strange thought that had her momentarily pause.

"We only have three, though, so I'd hate to waste it on something we can avoid..."

"Take it or leave it, Soleil," Nina muttered.

"Okay, okay... Bossy." She shoved the firework back into her hands.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Did you call me _bossy?_ "

"No."

"Yes you did."

"Then why did you ask?"

The simplest of questions, so Soleil proved, could end the strangest of arguments. Upon contemplating, Nina's eyes narrowed, her lips frowned, and she whipped around with all the force she could muster. A simple glance over her shoulder showed that she would not go any further into the debate. She realized she had been united with bitter defeat.

"I'll be back in a minute. Don't do anything dumb while I'm gone, got it?"

Before Soleil could ask what was considered _dumb_ , Nina strode away, where she disappeared into the thicket. It was with that, she ultimately decided that _dumb_ would have to be hers to define. Whatever it was Soleil was going to do, Nina didn't have to worry too much of it, for she had been sidetracked by focus. The night was a dangerous place, but she was no stranger. If anything, she and the night were good pals... or maybe frenemies like she was with Soleil, for the night enjoyed playing a good trick on her from time to time.

Prowling lowly through the thicket was a sort of remedy for her. Though she was as alert as a working hound, the inky sense of loneliness was the perfect climate to unknot and let her eyes close. A few seconds' worth of leaving them shut allowed her to open them again, vision improved. Of course, it was not improved much, but any sort of improvement was an improvement she was more than willing to accept. Her senses sharpened into tiny blades, all ready to attack, but in return, she became sensitive. It wasn't entirely a good thing, for, just behind her, where they had set up camp, she could hear Soleil singing in the distance. It wasn't good singing, neither was it quiet, so Nina decided to plow deeper into the woods in hopes of escaping the racket.

At last, she became one with the silence. Only the slightest of rustles from bushes interrupted their consummation, but she knew when those rustles were indebted to her and when they weren't. Those that weren't, unfortunately, weren't as common as hers, but each time one came about, her eyes darted around her surroundings furiously. Little animals scurrying about were sure to cross her path eventually, no matter how long it took.

Nina wasn't exactly a master hunter by any means, but she could definitely pull a successful outing if she really, _really_ wanted to. Today happened to be one of those days given the circumstances. If she didn't have her way, she and Soleil weren't going to be chipper. Empty stomachs were never chipper, especially when it only had bland crackers the meal before. Oh, her belly was growling now, just thinking of the possibilities. Rabbit jerky, deer brisket, owl breast... Well, she wasn't sure how she was going to prepare anything like that once she acquired the meat, but she was more than willing to play the operation by ear.

Her attentive ears, at last, picked up on a misfortunate rustle. It wasn't hers, she noted, and she immediately zeroed in on the target. The simplest of movements of her visitor were soft, yet, in a climate of silence, they had quite the volume. It was very easy for her to spot the brown tuft of fur that protruded from the ground. It wasn't large at all, but in the eyes of someone who was beginning to grow hungry, it was big enough. A buck with tall ears was what it was, and long before it could detect danger and hop away, it was quickly shot down by an arrow. It didn't suffer much, she figured, and took her prize with a detestable air of smug victory. By those same ears, she held it up, and she studied its face as it bathed in the moonlight, which sneaked a peek through the canopy.

"Soleil eats a lot more than I do, but she didn't work much today. You'll do just fine." The rabbit didn't give a response. It was a good thing that it didn't because Nina wasn't wanting one. Instead, she proceeded to recover her arrow from its side and return it to the quiver strapped to the small of her back. Things were going surprisingly well thus far, to her astonishment. But... being studious when it came to observing patterns, Nina was sure that, at any given moment, something was going to go horribly wrong. That's just how things worked for her, and she happened to evolve to be able to handle those sorts of issues.

Something did go wrong.

It didn't happen to her directly, but she was soon going to get involved. It, instead, happened to Soleil first, who was still at camp, minding her own business. She was busy, engrossed in the activity of "not doing anything dumb", when she happened to feel the hairs on the back of her neck raise. Soleil wasn't quite as sensitive, nor perceptive, as Nina, but that didn't mean she never had her moments. She could sense when a person was angry or upset, and could act accordingly, but only a time or two had she ever been able to detect someone approaching one of her blind spots. It was a mere stroke of luck to suddenly have her senses sharpen. She whirled around to find someone behind her. It was a man. A stranger man.

His attire was similar to Nina's uniform when they were with the army, except the bulky hat that decorated his head. His cape looked large, lofty, and weighty. His boots were thick and dirty. Either of his calves gave a home to a knife, both sheathed and strapped. A quiver of arrows hung from his hip. A bow was clutched in his hand. Most alarming of all, he was spectating their packs like a shopper striding down isles of merchandise. Almost immediately, Soleil stood and, with her only good arm, drew the kodachi that had yet to kiss the crimson wine of blood. The moment their eyes locked, the intruder halted his slow trek toward their things. In a nonthreatening fashion, his free hand reached up and tipped his hat.

"Good night," he greeted with a smooth, charming tone. It was a good thing Nina wasn't the one experiencing the encounter, otherwise she surely would have been swooned into oblivion.

With no hat to tip, Soleil returned the motion with a nod.

"Hey." She gave the stranger the benefit of the doubt. So long as he posed little threat, she wouldn't pounce on him. It wasn't entirely for his good. It was for hers. A fight with a bad arm was a fight she was sure to lose, so it was best that she avoided one at all costs. "Do you need something?"

"No, actually. My buddies and I were just passing through."

Soleil's pupils shrunk before they worriedly began to dart around. Not once did her attention leave the man before her, but she took half of it and exerted it on the surrounding darkness. Though they were hard to make out, it was undeniable that there happened to stand two men more just out of range of the light, and they steadily prowled closer. Quickly afterward, she grew tense and abandoned any hope of the encounter being friendly.

"Where're you on your way to?"

"We go wherever we want, really. And you?"

"The capital."

"Oh, so you must be a traveling merchant then. I should've known by the way your clothes look. Strange, though. I've never seen your kind wield weapons like swords. Most I've seen have either lances or bows."

Lances or bows. Interesting terminology. The man, and his allies assumably, were foreigners just like she and Nina. If his choice of words didn't give it away, the faint accent surely would. Should he be a man of similar nationality, chances were he would be able to draw the same conclusions about her as well. At the time, she wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. Regardless, she felt the urge to surrender her ground and make a beeline into the thicket. If she did that, she could reasonably assume what would happen next. Akin to the likes of Nina, these men were thieves. If she fled and returned when the threat passed, everything they had would surely be gone.

Soleil had to do the only thing she could do, and that was force the biggest grin she could possibly muster. It was a flawless tactic that left her opponents stunned each and every time. A time such as now was of no exception.

"This is great!" she exclaimed. "You know, I've been looking for some good travel buddies lately. With all this war stuff going on, I could really use someone to watch my back. You sound and look like you're from Nohr. I'm Nohrian too, believe it or not. The funny clothes just help with business here in the east."

The man, taken back, raised a brow.

"Really, now?" he replied.

"No leg-pulling here. I bet we can get along real well. If you guys want to join me, I'd be more than happy to split the profits from my sales with you. No strings attached! It just gets real lonely and frightening out here all alone. You know, I wouldn't have anyone to help me if I got hurt or something." She approached the man as she, in a leap of hopeful faith, sheathed the kodachi. It wasn't something she wanted to do by any means, but it was a task necessity called for. When she was near the bags, she proceeded to dig inside hers. When her hand returned, it returned with a second firework. "What do you say we celebrate our union with some fireworks? These don't sell well over here because they scare people, so I've been wanting to use one." Evidently puzzled, her audience watched as she brought the firecracker to the fire Nina had made, lit the fuse, then stuck it in the ground. Her feet quickly took her to the stranger's side, where she shielded her ears with her hands.

"Careful, these suckers are loud. You won't be able to hear for a while if you don't cover up!"

The man didn't heed her warning. Instead, he chose to give her the most suspicious of stares, both ears vulnerable. A shrill, however, did finally cause him to draw his hands to either side of his skull. All watched as a flare howled upward, and, with a green and white explosion in the sky, a boom cracked across the land.

The commotion frightened away another buck Nina encountered on her way back to camp. At first, she was angry to see the little thing hop away, but concern arrived to distract her. Her head raised, puzzled, but intuitive. The canopy made it difficult to see much of the sky, but bits of green where there shouldn't have been green happened to catch her eyes. She rose where she once crouched, then collected the rabbit laying at her side. Quickly gathering her bow and arrows soon had her weaving through the trees the quickest her feet could take her.

They only discussed what it meant when Nina launched a firework, but it could best be assumed that the same applied to Soleil: she called for help.

Nina hadn't strayed too far from camp, which, in turn, meant that the dash was brief and effortless. The real problem was what she encountered upon arriving, and it caused her to pause and linger in the thicket. Beside the road stood Soleil, who was chatting with three strange men. She was smiling and laughing as though she told a joke, but Nina knew better. That was her frenemy, and Nina knew when her frenemy forced a laugh, no matter how convincing it seemed.

Further observation confirmed her suspicions, for she took note of the stranger's attire. They were outlaws, similar to she and Niles' past, and Soleil clearly felt threatened. There was no time to second guess her intuition. Something had to be done quickly before something poor came from the situation.

Reluctantly, Nina, as she continued to hide in the shelter of the thicket, quietly reached into her quiver.

Soleil was unaware of Nina's presence, just like the rest of the men that surrounded her. She was a decent actor, but that was as far as her talent extended. Just decent. Sweat began to spill from her crown, so she had to maintain her distance from her visitors to hide her glistening face in the dark. They could not know she was nervous, otherwise it would surely spell out disaster. She was happy. She was chipper. That was the way she was going to be and that was the way she was going to remain until Nina came to assist her. Or would Nina come at all? What if she thought she made a mistake that caused the firework to go off? What if she didn't hear it? No, that was a stupid thought. Anyone for a good ways could probably hear that firework.

"Wow! That thing sure was pretty, wasn't it? I wonder why the Hoshidans don't buy many of these." She turned back to the man near her, only to be horrified to find him drawing near her packs once again. She improvised the best she could. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, there, friend. We have to get to know one another a little better before I let you get in my stuff. I'm sure you understand, right? How about we start with names? You and your friends got one?"

The man narrowed his eyes, then turned back to her. They locked eyes, and when they did, Soleil had to admit that she fought the urge to cower. Cowering wouldn't make her cool, though, would it? She had to maintain that stout posture that faltered against nothing... not necessarily because she was attempting to impress anyone, but because she wanted to keep her little ego polished.

Before the man could open his mouth, to her surprise, the stranger would be brought to gasps and tears. An arrow flew out of nowhere and lodged itself in the side of his neck. He was very much beyond repair, and both seemed to acknowledge it. Soleil was the more relieved of the two, of course, but still backed away.

Good. Nina did know what her signal meant.

"Dammit! She's got an... accomplice!" the wounded stranger croaked. He sunk to his knees, hands fighting not to struggle against the arrow that had afflicted him. "Get them!"

The other two men split. One headed toward the thicket from which the arrow had flown, the other headed straight for Soleil. He drew an arrow from his quiver, but would be surprised to find Soleil rush close to him, close enough that his bow did him no good. With her kodachi drawn, she took multiple swipes at him, all of which he blocked precisely with his once useless bow. What he wasn't expecting, however, was another arrow to whip out of the thicket. It struck his upper bicep, drawing a scream.

"Ha! You're just like me now!" Soleil gushed. When his shield fell, she grasped the opportunity to strike him on the opposite arm, rendering him defenseless. The urgency of the situation demanded that Soleil cut him down, and, to preserve their safety, she complied.

Nina did not stay and watch what Soleil would do to the man after she shot him, for she was far more fixed on the division that was making his way to her position. The night would make it difficult for him to find her, thankfully, but even so, she felt her shoulders tense as a swear escaped her lips. She relieved her fighting stance to find herself a tree to scale. There weren't any that struck her as perfect in the immediate area, but the one with which she settled definitely sufficed. She had herself perched on a comfortable branch by the time her pursuer wandered along, completely oblivious to her hiding. Though it was dark, what little adaptation her eyes had of the dark allowed her to spy on him. On a lower note, it also granted her the ability to draw one last arrow.

When Nina returned to Soleil, she carried the remains of the buck, which she promptly delivered before the fire. While tending to a stinging arm, Soleil observed it before cracking an awkward smile. Out of relief, Nina willingly smiled back.

"So," the latter started. "Anything happen while I was gone?"

When it came to cooking game, the two were evidently amateurs, and it quickly became obvious that they would have to sharpen their skills. They spent a good time arguing over which parts they should and shouldn't eat, but all their bickering came to an end when they agreed to cook the legs and other clusters of muscle. For the first time, the pan in Soleil's bag came into use, and it accomplished its job well. The fruits of their labor didn't taste good, but it luckily didn't taste bad either. The only thing that was wrong with the picture were the two bodies laying near their camp. Not too far into dinner, Soleil turned and caught eye of them. That gaze awkwardly went to her partner afterward.

"I sure wish it didn't have to come to... uh... taking those guys out," she commented solemnly. "What're we going to do now that they're... um... dead...?"

Nina didn't turn to them, but she knew what Soleil meant. After another bite into the piece she was working on, she eyed up to the sky.

"I guess they won't be needing their stuff anymore. We'll take what we can carry and leave them here."

Soleil appeared taken back.

"That's... barbaric," she commented.

"They were outlaws, so it's not like they would've done any different if they killed us first."

"I dunno... Maybe they would've left us alone."

"Trust me. They wouldn'tve."

"Would too."

"Would not."

"Would."

"Wouldn't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Like most, their argument faded from words and into a heated match of staring. They stared, long enough to make their eyes sting and spill tears, until Soleil was the first to cave. With defeat, she clamped her eyes shut, released a huff, then looked away.

"Okay. Fine. You win." She leaned back, then turned once more back to the subjects in question. In particular, the leader with an arrow in his neck.

"I'll compromise with you. We'll check them for money, weapons, and food. Whatever's left we'll leave."

"Are we burying them?"

"No. We don't have the time."

Their conversation ended on a short note. Despite their exhaustion, they were able to gather the strength the drag their intruders near the fire, where they could see. There, they inspected their stiffening bodies and managed to salvage a few valuables. With the bodies having been thieves, it made sense to find a few luxuries, such as a shiny pocket watch, a few strings of jewelry, a decent amount of gold marks, and plenty of extra arrows for Nina.

When it came to disposing of the bodies, they hid them in the border of the woods. Both of them, Nina in particular, managed to gather enough respect to take the men's hats and set them over their faces. While walking back to their camp, Soleil's body, including her sore arm, gave way to a furious shiver.

"I feel dirty now," she moaned. "What I'd give for a bath."

"There're no bodies of freshwater for a good ways... unless we run into a spring that's not marked on the map. Sorry if that makes things worse."

"No you're not."

"Are too."

"Are not."

When they went to bed, they didn't say much. The air about them was too tense. Too afraid. Their fear was to such an extreme that Soleil had a difficult time sleeping. Every once in a while, she awoke and surveyed the area. Even the softest breeze alarmed her. Even the least suspicious sights had her eyes widen, hand itching to dive for her blade. Despite her worry, nothing ever came of those things.

The night was long, and the morning was bound to be worse.


	9. The Shore of Regeneration

Both Nina and Soleil, an unfortunate pair, awoke with a dreadfully stuffy nose. To add on to their affliction, both shared a sore throat and coughed more often than usual. It was obvious to any who looked, including themselves. They were sick, all thanks to yesterday's bout of rain. Leave it to Soleil to smile while sniffling up a storm just to keep a river from streaming out of her nose.

"Heh. Now you _really_ look like hell, Nina."

After awakening more, they diagnosed themselves with colds, mild in nature, but miserable nonetheless. While loafing around their camp, watching a stream of smoke rise from the smoldering pile of ash in the center, they began to actually talk to one another. At last, they verbally acknowledged their ailment.

"Looks like that rain got us," Nina grumbled, leaning against the side of her pack. "We're both sick."

"I think we should take a break then. You know... since we're sick and all..."

"There's not much time to waste. We need to cover as much ground as we can while the sun's out."

"Come on, how about until noon?"

"Eleven."

"Eleven thirty."

"Eleven twenty."

"Eleven twenty-five."

"Eleven twenty-three."

"Eleven twenty-four."

They paused, staring at one another awkwardly. Nina heaved before long, then nodded slowly before slouching back against her pillow.

"Eleven twenty-four it is," she whispered, then promptly went back to sleep.

When they at last got to socializing after an additional hour of napping, nothing terribly exciting happened. After a bout of relentless insisting, Soleil had her way and was allowed to toil with Nina's hair, which had become an oily and nappy mess. A few dozen strokes of a brush tamed it, however, and she proceeded to reshape them into a signature pair of braids. While she worked behind her, Nina said little besides occasionally hissing after a pull of the wrong strand. When she was done, Soleil leaned back to marvel upon her masterpiece. Sure, Nina's hair frayed at certain parts down the shaft of either twin, but it looked perfectly fine.

"Not as hellish now." She gave Nina a hefty pat on the back. "We should stop at the nearest body of water we find to get your head washed. My fingers feel really oily."

"Don't blame me. You're the one who wanted to fix it." With the intention to inspect it, she pulled one of her braids over her shoulder. She found no reason to redo them, so she left them alone. "But you're right when you say I could use a bath... Same for you."

Soleil chuckled before retrieving the brush. While running it through her own hair, also a tangled mat, she managed her constant intervals of coughing by holding her breath. It made her throat burn, however, so she decided that she had to settle with coughing. At her side, Nina began rummaging through the loot they gathered from their visitors the night before. The pocket watch happened to catch her interest. It was a pretty piece of jewelry, being crafted from an untainted breed of steel and decorated by intricate floral patterns on its crown. When she opened it and compared its readings to the position of the beaming sun in the sky, she would conclude that its time was accurate.

"This will be useful," she suggested. "If something happens to our compass, I can make a substitute with this. One of the guys I had a crush on back in my Deeprealm taught me how to find south with a watch." She released a sigh. "Boy, was he a cute one too. I sure wish he hadn't noticed me that one night I followed him home. I didn't see much of him after that." She sniffled, not because she was upset, but because her sickness buffeted her with a runny nose.

"Sounds just like you," Soleil commented. "You're weird like that, always going around and shoving your nose in people's business. Why do you like spying on people? I've been meaning to ask."

Nina, with a huff, crossed her arms.

"Like heck I know how to answer that. It's like asking someone why they like their favorite color. They just do and they can't explain why." She looked at her once getting through another sniffle. "I'll play at your game. Why do you always have to flirt with every girl you see?"

"First off, I don't flirt with _every_ girl I see. Some of them just aren't cute."

"Great character you got there, only wanting to interact with the ones who look cute."

"Oh yeah? Well you don't like any guys unless they're a hulking frame of muscle."

"I do not! I'll gladly watch any boy I come across... ehe... especially if he has a few friends with him..."

"Weirdo."

"You're the weirdo. It's normal for girls our age to like boys. What's your excuse?"

"Um... I'm special?"

"Try again."

Soleil paused while a flush spread across her cheeks. She grinned slyly at her, then narrowed her eyes. The way she leaned back against her pack made her seem as though nothing in the world set her at dismay. What she didn't know, however, was the fact that Nina, being experienced when it came to watching people, happened to know what that certain glint in her eye meant.

Soleil knew the answer to Nina's question, and it was miraculous that she was especially secretive of it.

"Maybe I'll tell you one day. I just don't think I'm ready yet."

"Way to convince me you trust me," Nina sighed. "And you were the one who said you wanted us to be traveling partners. If you can't trust me with a secret, how can you trust me when we're out in the wilderness all the time?"

The point seemed to catch the other off guard, seeing that her eyes, once contently closed, opened again. They exchanged glances before her puffy eyes wandered up to the lovely blue sky.

"Hm... Good point. How about we cut ourselves a deal? If you _really_ want to know, I'll tell you..."

"There's a catch." Nina rolled her eyes, unamused.

"Naturally," Soleil chuckled. "You just have to give me something in exchange too: tell me all about you and your father. I want the deepest, darkest, _dirtiest_ details, please."

Almost immediately, her listener groaned, then leaned her head backward. Based off of her tone, she wasn't eager to accept the offer.

"Of course it comes to that..." she murmured.

"No need to worry. I'm willing to offer an alternative: you can also give me the biggest kiss on the cheek... or on the lips if you're feeling like it... Yeah, let's change it to the lips instead." Returned had her devious grin, but it was left in the wake of such dangerous words. It was alone with the cold, dreary air of silence. Soleil didn't get the nicest of looks, but then again, it wasn't as if she expected anything different.

"I can't believe you just said that to me." Nina scowled after a few coughs (Soleil debated over whether the coughs were due to her being sick or choking on her saliva in surprise. She concluded it was the latter for the sake of her own satisfaction). "You know what? I really don't want to know that badly. No deal."

"Shucks. There goes a really interesting conversation. Oh well. Don't worry, I have a feeling that we'll spill at some point or another on this trip. Maybe it'll be when we barely escape the narrow clutches of death and realize how much we truly lov-"

"Oh, would you look at the time," Nina began, gazing get down at her newly acquired pocket watch. She held it up for display. "It's eleven twenty-four." The motions she made as she rose compensated for her lack of voicing commands. Reluctantly, Soleil followed her onto her feet and began preparing to depart.

They continued onward, Nina in the lead. It was because she was in the lead they were slowed. She was still shouldering both loads despite Soleil's annoying attempts to sway her ideas elsewhere. When she realized she was not going to win, Soleil took to the next best thing, which was annoying her with attempts to help. One would have, at one point, considered the actions thoughtful of Soleil. She did things such as offering Nina their canteen every other minute, slipping the tips of her fingers on the meat of her shoulder to tame it into relaxation, and serenading her with a soothing melody... which was horrible, in all actuality. Though neither realized it, there was actually something good that came out of those things. They were distracting. Therefore, they passed the time much quicker.

The nearby road steadily began to blend in with the ground, for grass (or any signs of vegetation) was scarce. Before long, they were impressed to see even one tree intrude in their path, for it stood alone on the horizon, seeking companionship it would only receive for a short while when they came into union. The tree wouldn't have its company for long; Soleil and Nina betrayed it by abandoning it in their tracks, left behind to fade as a memory.

Neither party was somber over the ordeal.

The desert that became their path was what had Nina work up a sweat, which would be cooled by the breeze of the distant ocean. Being worrisome failed to cooperate with her cold. She coughed a time or two when concern truly got the best of her, and each pair caught the attention of Soleil.

"Still not feeling well? Getting up and moving a bunch usually distracts me when I'm sick, but I guess it doesn't work for everyone..." she commented while handing the canteen to her for the umpteenth time. Nina actually accepted it for a change, and she took a hefty serving of water when she did.

"Being out in the open like this is dangerous," she answered before taking another gulp. "If more reinforcements come marching through here, there's no way we can hide from them. We'll have no choice but to hope for the best in the event of an encounter."

"Yeah, but we're Hoshidan now, aren't we? I doubt they'll suspect a thing and just leave us alone."

"No way. My money says..." she coughed. "...that we can only fool normal folk like villagers and farmers, maybe most merchants if we step up our game. That's good enough to keep us safe from being reported and having authorities on our tail, but Hoshidan soldiers themselves? They're trained to notice even the slightest of differences between themselves and Nohrians for the sake of detecting who's friend and who's foe pretending to be friend. We haven't had the time to seriously adapt to the ways of Hoshidans, so we don't know everything about Hoshidan customs down to the most intricate detail. If we screw up even a little bit, they're bound to get suspicious."

Soleil's eyes, carefree still, wandered up to the sky, which was rich blue with friendly clouds. A thumb ran over her chin meticulously, but it was mostly for looks.

"By intricate details, I guess you would mean knowing stuff like folklore or figures of speech we don't use in Nohr. Sort of like how we have the legend of the Haunted Cavalier?"

Nina turned her head to gaze at her strangely before her expression dropped into a puzzled scowl.

"Haunted Cavalier?" she echoed.

"Yeah. You know... The Haunted Cavalier."

"I don't know what that is."

"Yes you do. Every Nohrian's been told the Legend of the Haunted Cavalier."

"Well I haven't."

"Yes you have."

"Haven't."

"Have."

"Haven't."

"Yes."

"No."

When Soleil realized Nina was serious, she jumped back in surprise, eyes wide with both awe and disgust.

"Y-You really haven't? But that story is probably as old as Nohr itself. It's a linchpin of our culture! There must've been someone who at least _mentioned_ it. Since you're always spying on everyone, there's no way you couldn'tve seen some people gathered around a campfire on a moonless night, muttering vernacular of old."

"Nope."

"Then what about your dad? It's a parent's duty to relay stories to their children so the flame won't die. Didn't he tell it to you as a bedtime story so you'll be scared into never sleeping again? That's what my Dad did when he came to visit me when I was younger..." She froze when Nina's puzzled scowl devolved into a regular scowl. An awkward grin spread across her face in attempt to calm her. "Heh heh... Sorry to bring that up again... um..." She looked away. "It's not that huge of a deal. It's just a dumb ol' story about a ghost cavalier that has no torso. He was just a floating head and limbs that'd chase people on his horse at night. There was some kind of unimportant back story... Something about a knight that died in battle and had his body chopped up by his enemies. Now he haunts all the country in search of the parts he's missing."

Nina narrowed her eyes.

"And parents tell this story to their children?"

"Yeah. I could hardly sleep for weeks and would cry every time sunset came before I was home. It took one of the men in my band several years later to tell me the story was fake." A hand went behind her head to scratch awkwardly, and her head hesitantly slid to the side. "I can hardly believe you. You must not be Nohrian at all."

With an apathetic shrug, her neighbor sighed.

"Who knows? At least it could help me later on. The less Nohrian we act, the more likely we are to slip under the enemy's radar."

"Why can't we just try to avoid the Hoshidans altogether? Can't we just wander off the main road to get out of the way?"

While shaking her head, Nina went to retrieve the map resting in one of the few fanny packs strapped to her hips. She unfolded it, then presented its contents. It had suffered from the wrath of the rain, but the wounds were mild, having only afflicted its sides. It remained readable, a godsend in their situation. The thought of having something happen to it made Nina consider making a crude copy within the bounds of one of her notebooks.

"The road will make our trip the fastest since it keeps us from getting lost, so we shouldn't stray too far from it, especially now that we're all the way out here in the boonies. The trail blends in with the sand so much it'll almost be impossible to find if we lose it."

"Like how we lost it now?"

Nina froze, then dared to let her eyes wander down. One could only imagine the horror which was her eyes when she found nothing under her feet besides dust that had hardened over millennia, just as uniform as the sea that stretched as far as they could gaze. She gave way to a gasp, then, in complete disregard for the map, violently stuffed the sheet of paper back into its home. She scurried around for a moment, eyes fixed intently on the ground in panic. Her gaze grew wider with each passing moment.

"Wh-Where did it go?" she exclaimed, terrified. She backtracked a ways quickly in attempt to scavenge even the slightest trace of their lost friend. Soleil followed close behind, albeit nonchalant. "It couldn'tve disappeared that quickly! All I did was show you the map for five seconds and now it's g-" Nina froze once finding what she sought: a patch of light dirt. It housed evident signs of traffic. Though she should've been relieved, she became more worried at the sight. "Oh no..."

"Something wrong?" Soleil caught up to her, joining her in gazing at the subject in question.

"The trail looks like it's been masked. A bad breeze must have thrown some sand over it before we got here. The road just ends here and fades into the rest of the ground." Soleil could have easily figured that out herself, but she chose to take the easy way out and accept her words as truth. She didn't appear to be too affected by the news, hence why her square shoulders relaxed.

"I'm not worried," she commented, perhaps in an attempt to evoke envy. "We can just head east until we hit the coastline and follow it from there, can't we?"

With a groan, Nina fished out the compass, read it, then looked up at the sky herself.

"We can, but I have no idea if we'll accidentally waltz into the Wind Tribe's territory on the way there."

"What's wrong with the Wind Tribe? Are they not friendly?"

"I honestly don't have any interest in finding out. My best guess says no."

"You think everything won't go your way."

"Yeah? Well I can say that sort of thinking's never gotten me in trouble before. How about yourself, Miss Optimism?"

"Ditto." Soleil's arms crossed, her face displaying a rather smug leer as she peered down at the shorter. The look, as expected, probed at the little ego bubble in Nina's chest, and she viciously rose in order to defend it. One would wonder why such a thing got Nina so terribly worked up, but the answer was relatively simple: she had no better ideas to fall back on, and Soleil's appeared to be the only available option. Any other direction, besides backtracking, would have them wandering aimlessly through the desert for heaven knew how long. They had plenty of water, but not an unlimited supply. It was vital that they found the coast in case they ran out, otherwise they might die in their wandering.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," she grumbled at last, tapping her foot on the ground.

"Well, we don't have all day for you to come up with another idea." For the sake of entertaining herself, Soleil kicked up a cloud of dust, which, thanks to the wind, blew into Nina's sickly eyes. While growling, she closed them to begin rubbing.

"I know, I know..." She yanked out the map again, where she found it crumpled from its last mishandling, then began to give it an in-depth study. A few squints of the eye, alongside turning the map multiple, and unnecessary, directions, had her relieve it and observe their bland surroundings. "Instead of north, we'll go east. Once we get to the shore, we'll stick to it and head north again. Hopefully, we'll pass the Wind Tribe's territory. Even if we do intersect their boundaries, I'm sure the shore is the very edge, so we'll be able to slip by if we miss a patrol."

With a smile, Soleil nodded.

"Good to see you can still use your head even when you're sick. Just lead the way..." When Nina began to walk, presumably east, she leaned a little closer. "And can I have my pack now?"

She was denied the permission once again.

The scenery of their current environment, compared to being surrounded by the ambient of lush trees and glades, was boring. Very boring. The vastness of sand hid nothing from them besides themselves, and they didn't seem to find themselves worthy of their attention. They conversed every now and then, but it seemed as though the desert sapped them of creativity. Not a single subject seemed to grasp their interest. Even an argument over boys and girls became a boring controversy of the past.

Having nothing better to do, Soleil went back to her old tactics, which were trying to retrieve her pack from Nina again. When that didn't work, she started to make the load easier again by committing her good, but annoying, deeds. She handed Nina their canteen far more often than earlier since the sun was beating them down. Nina refused to drink, seeing the urgency of conservation. So, Soleil then tried to give her a massage, which evidently made her feel awkward, for she constantly shrugged her hand off her shoulder with a grumble. Soleil was left with one final choice.

"Hey. I wrote a song about you." Before Nina could object to her presentation, she commenced to sing, harmonizing with the wind... very poorly.

 _"Nina, oh Nina,_

 _Ply of arrows and pen,_

 _The enigmatic, uncanny kind..._

 _Her strands back in twirls,_

 _One with the lunar glen,_

 _How I wish that she were mine..._

 _Nina, oh Nina._

 _Licker for a knife,_

 _Yourself all hers to pry,_

 _Slender and curved,_

 _Enisled, her life,_

 _For her, oh, I would die._

 _Nina, oh Nina,_

 _Her eyes verdant as ill,_

 _But with lips so soft and-"_

"Alright, alright, I've heard enough," Nina growled disapprovingly. Her frown made it clear that she debated which she hated more: the singing or the lyrics. Flushing, and grinning, Soleil squinted her eyes and eased closer (uncomfortably close) and chuckled.

"Oh, and she doesn't like it when people talk about her either. Heh heh heh..."

They stopped momentarily to pull lunch, the leftovers from last night's rabbit, out of the smaller bag before promptly continuing. They chose to walk as they ate, kicking up dust that would eventually land on their food. Some bites would show themselves to be crunchier than others. By the time they were done eating, they would be glad to eventually feel the breeze growing stronger. The mightier the winds, Nina said, the closer the ocean.

They would arrive at the shore by nightfall, guided by the golden glow of their lantern, which they set down to be the center of camp. The change of scenery ignited a spark of excitement for them both, namely Soleil, whose stuffy nose took a whiff of the ocean's breeze.

"Ah! Nothing like the smell of the sea. Even though it's filthy, who can explain such a marvelous fragrance?" She began to strip shortly afterward, urging Nina to do the same as she excitedly made her way to the tide. Nina chose to stay behind, face hard as could be. It had grown apathetic, being well aware of the fact that the ocean was plagued by salt. Salt didn't go too well with open wounds... But she decided that would have to be something Soleil could figure out herself. An exclamation would confirm her suspicions just moments afterward. "Mm... The water's moderate, wonderful, and... Gah! Salty! Crap! It's salty!"

A little while later, being fully clothed again, Soleil found herself beside the lantern, fixated on the sand where her fingers doodled pictures. Nina sat at her side, unwrapping the improv gauze around her injured arm to reveal a hideous wound. In the center of a circle of red was the shortened butt of an arrow, which had been severed. The arrow tip remained hiding within blood, clots, and a certain cloudy, white substance that made Nina sigh in relief. The noise drew Soleil's curiosity, and head, upward.

"Well? What's the news, doc?"

"Not bad. At least I don't think it's bad... It looks like everything I was taught to look for."

"Really? Can I see?" When she struggled to peer over her shoulder, she would meet a palm, Nina's palm, that covered her eyes.

"You probably don't want to," she muttered as she pushed her away. "It looks okay to pull out, though. Are you ready?"

Her eyes widened, and she cowered timidly.

"I-Is it gonna hurt?"

"Probably. Just hold still and I'll try to make this quick."

"Heh... No no no no no no no..." Soleil inched away, holding up the hand of her good arm. "It's really not so bad after all, having this thing inside me. We can just keep it there. No biggie. Let's leave it alone."

It wasn't a good sign to see Nina frown.

"What? Are you afraid or something?"

"Afraid? Me? Pft. No way. I'm not afraid. I just think we should wait a little longer... You know, just to be safe." She hoped, prayed even, that Nina didn't notice that she continued to ease at her distance. She began to depart from the light and be consumed by the darkness.

Nina noticed, and it did not take long for her to follow.

"Quit running from me. If you want this thing to heal sooner, you need to sit still and let me fix it."

"I-I said I don't want it fixed. Just leave it alone."

"It'll get infected if it stays in there for too long."

"Nothing wrong with a little infection, right? It'll make my immune system stronger."

"That's not how it works. Sit still."

"N-No thanks."

Horror spread across her face when, in a matter of suddenness, Nina pounced on her body and pinned her down. From there, a struggle began. Had it not been for that blasted arrowhead lodged in her arm, Soleil was confident that she would have eventually emerged victor of the wrestling match. She was at a disadvantage, though, and Nina used that to deliver her to a swift demise. Only once or twice was Soleil able to roll her way on top. One such instance had her chuckle darkly as she looked down at her partner's flustered expression.

Between heaves, and coughs, Nina grit her teeth and displayed a nasty scowl.

"What's... so... funny...?" she hissed from below, every breath deepening the redness spreading across her cheeks.

"I bet you can't guess what we look like, rolling around like this. Heh heh heh..." A fist promptly whacked her jaw, which ended the fight and left Soleil lying on the sand, groaning uncomfortably. While bringing herself up, Nina continued to heave.

"Your inappropriate comments aren't going to stop me," she growled as the other at last rolled onto her back. "Do you want to hold still now?"

After a pause, Soleil began to look around, hoping to plot an escape route. She didn't know who she was dealing with, however. She was dealing with Nina, a thief who dabbled deep into the belly of evasion and plotted every possible route within her surroundings. Before she even made her move, she knew where Soleil was to head, and immediately went to block her. The moment she began to roll away, Soleil was alarmed by the arm that held her back. Brute force wasn't going to get her out of this, seeing that hers wasn't accessible. Though surrendering should have been her safest, and least painful, option, she refused to take it and continued to attempt to flee.

In the midst of her struggle, she was brought to a pause. The pause owed its existence to a bloodcurdling screech, who owed _its_ existence to a stiff pair of fingers that pinched the end of the severed arrow in her arm. The other arm thrashed, throwing fistfuls of sand every direction it could bend. Even her legs joined in, for they commenced to kick up a storm. Her pitch heightened when the arrowhead began to slide out, brushing against the walls of her tender wound. The process, in reality, was far quicker than it felt. Just seconds after pinching the end, Nina slowly guided it outward.

Soleil's screaming was interrupted by the arrow, which landed on her stomach. When Soleil picked it up too look at it, Nina cleared her throat and gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"Good job. That wasn't so bad, now, was it? Have yourself a souvenir to remember the trip."


	10. Cortège for an Identity

Things had not gone well in the last battle, for their surroundings were bathed in a dreadful shade of crimson. It was not crimson because wonderful leaves fell from shedding trees. No, it was blood that splattered in some way against almost every thing. That included Corrin, who slew the final Kitsune with the dark blade of his Yato. As he removed it from the carcass, he heaved a burdened sigh and turned to observe the destruction around him. The crown of the bluff, where his army once fought a long battle against animals, had been cleansed of Kitsune. Dread had him overwhelmed.

Silas leapt from the back of his steed after riding up to his side. He seemed unsettled, but he made swift progress toward regaining his composure.

"Looks like we took care of them," he heaved. "But it cost the wellbeing of the majority of the army..."

He was correct. A brief tour of the bluff would not hide the many who sat themselves down, groaning in distaste at the sight of their injuries. Injuries ranged from mild cases, such as a handful of nicks scattered across their body, to deep gashes that spilled floods of red. Even poor Siegbert, who had only _recently_ recovered from his previous encounter with Kitsune, once again sported fresh wounds. Lucky for him, though, he had a spotless Velouria at his side, running her tongue over each bite mark. Shigure uneasily tended to his pegasus, who bore more than a manageable amount of cuts and slashes. The healers, frantically running back and forth, were in over their heads. Almost every soldier called for them, moaning for relief.

While biting his lip, Corrin began to embark on his tour.

"It was a successful outing, but it could have gone a lot better," he grumbled. "Even one person more would do our resolve good. Having just two out of the picture has definitely made things harder for us."

Silas, being experienced in reading expressions, leaned forward to better his view of the other's face.

"You look like you're considering something," he observed, to which Corrin nodded briefly.

"I am," he confirmed. "But I need more time to linger on it. I don't want to decide anything without consulting others."

* * *

It was bad that the day, and their mild sickness, stole the majority of Soleil and Nina's energy. The ocean did not help either, for its every tide, which washed against the shore, was a soothing lullaby. It was a peaceful scene: the moon gazed down at them to cover them in a blanket of paleness, the darkness swaddled them in a comforter of security, and, to combat against the chilly breezes of the tide, the two slept near one another. Soleil was in such a deep sleep she didn't even notice when the side of Nina's head, thanks to her neck losing structure, fell on her shoulder. If either of them had even a hint of wake inside of them, the situation would have been handled far differently than simply being ignored.

But they did not have even a hint of being awake.

They were completely oblivious to the footsteps treading atop the sand, all homing straight for their sleeping bodies. They made no sound that could overpower Soleil's snoring, nor the tide's lullaby. When they conversed, they conversed softly, speaking in a tongue neither Nina nor Soleil would understand if they had awoken. Ever so slowly, they crept closer and closer. Muscular arms reached to their hips to retrieve ropes, all thick with unwavering threads. Those unwavering threads would very soon be applied to Soleil and Nina's wrists and ankles without evoking even the slightest of suspicions. Sure Soleil snorted a bit louder than usual, but it did not throw the intruders off. They continued on, and it went to favor them. Soleil and Nina's eyes remained clamped shut, even when they were lifted and carried away.

Of course they would freak out when they finally did come to.

Nina was the first to rouse with a yawn and a hefty stretch. Still sleepy, she did not care much when it came to her surroundings. Based off the snores she heard, she knew Soleil was near, and that's what mattered. Soleil could disappear, but the ocean certainly couldn't. There was no way the shore could run away. No way!

But the shore was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she found herself enclosed in an accommodation of sorts. Torches lined the walls, its center lit by suspended flames, and from vases rose a steady stream of lavender incense. The room, based off of sight and smell, seemed very comfortable... except for the blankets hanging from the walls. They were tattooed by tribal patterns of mills and mythological beasts of the wind. One told a story of a mystical blade wielded by a dragon from the depths. Another portrayed a field of sunflowers bowing before the power of a breeze. At first, she was intrigued by her surroundings... But her interest was born to die young. Very soon, the innocent feeling of intrigue fell to terror. With it on her throne, her eyes widened, and she rose to her feet.

She found herself on a pile of pillows. They stole her balance as she attempted to scramble out of the pit, but she ultimately lost the battle. Like an animal in a cage, she took the next best option and furiously observed her prison in hopes of discovering a way out. There were no windows, to her dispirit, and the only door she found had been locked. It was no door she could pick, to worsen matters. It was an older style of locks that put the strength of a board on the other side against her. There was no getting out, no matter what she was to do.

And worst of all, Soleil was nowhere in sight.

No, no, no. That was only second worst. The worst part was the fact that her hands were bound together by a tight knot of rope. It played a hand in preventing her from escaping from the pit.

Her instincts, at first, demanded that she release a terrified scream, but she knew that would do her no good. Instead, her meticulous hands and teeth began working at the knot in hopes of gaining freedom. She happened to have experience in the art of undoing knots, having gotten away many times from local authorities in her Deeprealm, but the knot she encountered now was an entirely different ballgame. It was ridiculously tight, as if pulled by a brute that belittled Benny into the likes of a kitten. She was daunted at the challenge, but her strong will kept her from cowering.

With her hands usable once again, she found it easier to crawl out of the pillows and peek at the floor a few inches above her. It was solid ground, uncovered by any foundation or furnish. It was just plain rock, but clean rock, thank goodness. That wasn't what terrified her, however. She was terrified because, when she scanned the room further, she found the last thing she wanted to see: the source of the snoring she once thought was Soleil's.

It was not Soleil.

Instead, it was a hulk of a man branded by tribal patterns, burly as he was tall. He sat in the corner of the room, eyes closed, and fingers laced over his bare, and hairy, stomach. Instinct once again attempted to take command, and it succeeded. She ducked back down into the shelter of the pit, wide-eyed, but not bushy tailed. Terrified was a better way of explaining her expression.

Nina clung to her consciousness, however, which was a good thing. The man was, obviously, asleep, which was a prime opportunity to study her surroundings and formulate some sort of escape... if such a thing were possible. No wait, she was Nina; there was always going to be an escape.

She had to make haste and find Soleil too. After all, there was no telling what their captors planned to do with them...

She decided not to linger on the possibilities.

She started with the door, which she promptly investigated once gaining freedom from the pit. Her suspicions were correct, as proven by the fact that it refused to budge. The door was her only way out, seeing that there were no other openings in the walls. Digging her way through the adobe borders of the house would be a waste, for it was too thick and would consume whatever time she had to escape before her captor awoke.

Nervously, she looked around the room, where she woefully found little to work with.

The pillows that bunched in the pit could do much besides smother the guard and buy her more time, but the long run, and the risks, did not favor that sort of idea. If the man were to awaken before he passed, she had no way of winning a wrestling match with him. If she did manage to bring him down, any chances of the Wind Tribe being friendly to her would be demolished, seeing that she murdered one of their fellow brothers.

There was a rug, but it wasn't like she could conceal herself underneath it. It could, however, hide the body for a short time if she had to resort to smothering the guard, but she ultimately decided to keep the idea as a nuclear option.

The incense sticks protruding from the mouths of the vases would definitely assist her in starting a fire, but she wasn't sure of what good a fire would do. A fire could burn the things around her, but the walls and door, being made of brick and ceramic, would simply laugh at her attempts.

There were the vases that housed the incense, but the only thing she could do with them was break them, which was a process that would awaken her captor.

Wait... Her captor...

She rushed back over to the door, where she pressed her ear against it. There had to be someone standing outside, otherwise the guard inside would be stuck with no way out. If only she could just get him to open the door, bowing to the pretense that his partner was requesting exit... She'd then have the chance to slither her way out during all the confusion.

There was nothing that caught her ears from the outside, but that didn't discriminate her from trying to probe at getting at least _something._ She took her fist and played a few soft knocks, cautious not to make them too loud. What she received was something far greater than her expectations: the voice of a man from the outside. It was music to her ears... until she bothered to listen to what it was he had to say.

"Brother Souma, you should know by now that I am not to release you until you have payed penance for your crimes. You are not to come out until the quarter moon."

Her eyes widened suddenly, and she backed away slowly. A criminal? Now she _really_ wanted to get out the soonest she could! If she were stuck in a locked room with a criminal, there was no telling what was going to happen to her.

Smothering the guy didn't sound like such a bad plan all of a sudden.

Whether she planned to do such a thing or not no longer mattered, for when she turned around, her eyes fell upon the corner on the opposite side of the room. There, the man she once thought to be her captor was rising, fully awake. Curses! That light sleeper must have been awoken by the sound of the guard. As one would reasonably assume, the sight sent a chill up her body, leaving a deadly sort of heat in its wake. It probably would not have done her any good, but she began backing away until she pressed against the wall.

Her eyes frantically searched the room. Anything could help her. Anything. All she needed was a reasonable plan. Nothing came to mind, for she was handicapped by raw terror.

The man rubbed his eyes, yawned, and stretched his powerful arms with a groan. Yep, she definitely wasn't winning any wrestling matches with _that_ guy. He balanced on the border dividing large and giant, and his face certainly didn't hint at him being shallow minded. The second she saw his eyes fix themselves upon her, she knew that things were about to get rough. Very rough.

"Hm... I have a new cellmate," he grumbled. His voice was deep like the growl of a lion, and its vibration carried even into her own throat. She blinked awkwardly, reddening as she strafed her way around him as he approached her.

"L-Look here... I'm willing to cut s-some kind of... um... c-compromise with you if we can b-be on good terms..."

"Compromise?" The man scratched his chin. "What sort?"

"Erm... You know... I don't hurt you, you don't hurt me... W-We can be great friends, I b-bet."

"Hurt me? What can you do to hurt me?" the man inquired, his voice strained with confidence. His powerful form quickened its pace toward her, and when Nina went to distance herself another direction, he cut off her path with his broad shoulders. With no place to run, she had no choice but to slowly be backed into a corner, where she could feel his hot breath beating down on her. Each huff delivered a putrid smog of air into her face. If Nina had more freedom in the situation, she would have wiped away the mist that gathered on her forehead. Nonetheless, she made an effort to maintain an unintimidated facade, regardless of how convincing it was.

It wasn't convincing.

"L-Lots of things. I c-can do... lots of th-things to hurt you. Bet 'cha didn't know that..." She failed to look him in the eye, as was she unable to halt her quivering.

"Go on then. I _love_ pain."

The room next door did not get quite as much insight on the action, even though the wall separating the two was surprisingly thin. Soleil was there, lost in a world of oblivious slumber with her hands tied together, but her body spread like butter. Everything was so pleasant at the time... that is until, in the room beside hers, Nina threw a punch in the man's throat.

For a punch coming from a girl so weak (and a man who claimed he liked pain), there sure was a loud scream that followed.

The thunder made Soleil bolt awake, eyes wide and concerned. Her body could not pounce into action as it normally would have, for her hands were not readily able to provide balance. So, instead of landing on her toes, she slipped on the pillow beneath her and landed splat back on the floor. Next door, light foot steps thumped across the room in attempt to flee from something. It was followed by the shattering of a vase.

"That hurt!" exclaimed the lion, whose steps boomed after the other's. Several crashes more followed, as did another voice.

"Y-You said you liked pain!" More thumps sounded, but those meant little to its audience. Soleil's head peeked up from the pillows it was once buried in, and the fire that consumed her chest was what forced her to continue scrambling until she found her liberation from the pillows. It took some doing, such as shifting into awkward positions with her knees and elbows, but she emerged from the pit and began tumbling on the clean floor, where she rushed to bring herself onto her feet. The soonest she could, she worriedly pressed herself against the barrier between she and the ruckus.

"Nina?" she exclaimed, furthering her pressure on the wall. Her voice, however, was drowned by the melody of another shattering vase, along with the angered roar of Nina's cellmate.

"I'll kill you for that, dammit!" Another crash. It made the ground shake.

Though she did not get the confirmation of the other prisoner's identity, Soleil was too much on edge to bother taking her chances. Nina was in there. A man was going to hurt her. It was her obligation as both a friend and retainer to get in and stop it the soonest she could.

Soleil's initial action would be attempting to free her wrists, which were housed by a knot far tighter than she figured it would be. A minute's worth of struggling, and listening to Nina flee around the room from her rampaging pursuer, left her utterly fruitless, for her rigid fingers could not jam themselves into, and thus work out, the binds. A frightened yipe had her slam herself against the wall in hopes of testing its density.

Said wall, to her surprise, was not made of stone as she expected. It was a light material layered for additional strength, but was it strong enough to withstand countless barrages from a hurried Soleil? It would take work, but she was happy to presume that a hole could be hers to create.

"Nina! Nina, hang on! I'm coming!" She continued to ram against the barricade, but nothing prevailed. If only her kodachi had not been taken, she could carve herself a way through. No kodachi meant slower work, which adrenaline demanded she hastened. A boost of energy came in handy, for it powered a nasty kick she delivered to her foe. A dent would be formed, and it pleased her greatly. She found what would work.

Soleil couldn't come quick enough, however, for on the other side, while continuing to dodge and scramble her way around the room, Nina realized that the bear-man was gradually beginning to piece together her patterns of evasion. His movements were hinting at forming countermeasures, and it was just one countermeasure that could devastate her. In attempt to spice things up, and thus prolong their chase, Nina littered her wanderings with vases she snatched and hurled toward her opponent. She only discovered he was not as unsuspecting as he let on, for he saw through her actions as though they were panes of glass. The ceramic simply shattered at the right of his foot after he sidestepped.

There came a point where she ran out of room to run, so she had no choice but to wait for him to draw near again. Her speed made it easier for her to slither underneath him and dash to the other side of the room, but the process had long expired. Panic kept her from realizing that. Before she could dive beneath his legs as she had countless times before, the man at last had his chance at victory. His heavy foot slammed down on the slack of her clothing, halting her in her tracks beneath him. While she grasped at attempts to scurry away, the man bent down and effortlessly took her captive in his thick palms. Those palms, powered by fury, laced around her neck before slamming her against the wall. The wall wasn't the soft wall Soleil was powering her way through. It was the rock. Nina could not decide if the agony which spread across her back was worse than the constriction of her throat, but she was confident in the fact that she couldn't _breathe_ was the worst.

Her gaze, fearfully verdant, stared angrily into the man's eyes as its vision began to cloud. With what breath was left in her, she released a snarl, and her hands, while growing limp and weak, clawed at the sheet of tree bark that was the skin of his forearm. It did nothing to falter his grip on her, which was strengthening with time. The more she moved, the less she felt like resisting.

It was a good time for Soleil to finally stumble through the wall after one final pound. She tripped over a fragment of debris, but quickly regained her steady and observed the room. Those observations stopped the moment she laid eyes on the two, for she immediately began rushing toward them with a shout:

"Put her down!" Upon arrival, she sent her hands, still tied against one another, against his ribcage. Unlike scratching his forearms, the attack did have him release his prisoner, but at the expense of having Soleil as his new opponent. She was more than glad to take him on, however. She coaxed him with a cocky grin as she distanced herself. "Come on, pudgy. Fight against someone who can actually take a hit."

As if he were a bull, she enraged him, for he cracked his knuckles and spewed snot from his nose with a forceful huff. Behind him, Nina slid to the ground, coughing and wheezing.

"I'll kill you slower than her for that," he growled.

"If you can hit me," she corrected him with a wink, which sent him after her. She ducked at every punch he threw and, when the opportunity was open to her, took a few counterstrikes to his face and throat. The process continued until Soleil's back was to the pit of pillows, into which she was mindful not to fall. They danced around the border of the bed, exchanging dodges and blows. Once or twice, Soleil sustained a punch to the chest and chin, but so long as he did not strike her weak spot, the arm that was recovering from an arrow wound, she took each as though it was nothing... at least it looked like nothing. The outside said the blows did not affect her, so testified the grin that refused to fade, but the inside was not quite the same story. Each hit burned to the point of slowing her technique.

In an attempt to stall for time, she shuffled to the side and gave the man a swift, but powerful, kick. The speed and unexpected nature of the action stole his balance and shoved him into the pit. Upon landing, he growled and was instantly scrambling to recover himself. His opponent, unbeknownst to him, was plotting a far more sinister move than giving him time. Her feet readied to pounce on him, but they were ultimately stopped by the sound of her name.

"Soleil!"

She looked up to find a weakened Nina rushing toward them, a vase in tow. Her heaves were congested and unhealthy, as were the bruises that gathered around her neck. The determination in her eyes had her stop at nothing, even when it came to hopping in the air to launch the contents of her hands to the man's face. The impact came perfectly, for the moment it landed, the vase collapsed into pieces against his nose. Oil splattered across his face and the pillows surrounding him.

To their surprise, and partial relief, the man did not move after that. He remained still, the air of danger disappearing with him. For what felt like forever, the two stared, waiting for him to rise and angrily wipe the shards from his bloody face... But he did not, no matter how long they stood.

When she deemed the moment safe enough, Nina at last collapsed onto her knees, where she continued to cough and quiver. After a brief glance at their enemy, Soleil abandoned her post and skidded to her side, where she scavenged for anything she could do to assist. The condition of her palms kept her from offering anything that was effective, so she was forced to settle with giving her comforting pats on the shoulder.

"Don't push yourself." Her tone soothed over the sounds of coughing.

"Easier... said than done..." Her quivering fingers took Soleil's wrists and began to pick at the knot until it unraveled. The moment her job was complete, she collapsed. Her reliance on having Soleil catch her was well founded, for when her face started homing toward her stomach, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her torso and began to gently pull her upward. Once her jaw settled on her shoulder, Nina closed her eyes and relaxed. As her shivering deadened, she used what strength was within her to return the embrace.

* * *

 _The sun was gorgeous that day. Perhaps too gorgeous, for it was beating down on anyone who had the misfortune of prolonged exposure. It was a day in misery, toiling in the merciless heat of summer. At first it was nice, but all were quick to retract their claims, especially when it came time for drills._

 _All Nina knew was that she didn't want to go out of her tent._

 _It had been two days after she was migrated (forced) into the army, and seldom did she find herself grateful for it. What she'd give to go out on her own and join a gang of well-intentioned thieves and saunter back to what she did best: stealing from those dastardly rich folks and donating to those in need. Like heck she could just escape from the army, however. Niles, her father, had her under strict supervision. If he wasn't keeping an eye on her, someone else, such as his partner Odin, was._

 _One could only imagine the grief and agony which was Nina once she was drug out of her tent and suggested (forced) to take up a bow. She often humored the thought of putting an arrow in someone's back and making a run for it, but she was not confident enough to put those plans into action so soon. She had not enough knowledge, therefore power, to know for sure if the climate was ripe for escaping. Until she did, she had to lay low and act as unsuspicious as she could. She happened to be very talented in that department._

 _She groggily made her way to the yard of the castle, grumpy as a cat without its milk. Her ever watchful eyes spied upon those who had her surrounded. They ranged from female to male, short and tall, lanky and stout. The best part, perhaps what lightened her mood just a smidgen, was the tall and stout boys going against each other with their swords, target practicing with stars, and maneuvering their steeds in meticulous directions while performing meticulous tasks. Going to drill practice was new to Nina, though, so she did not have long to drool over them. It was necessary that she studied each and every fold of her environment, for she never knew when the information could come in handy._

 _It did not embarrass her to admit that she was impressed by the women as well. Some were powerful, such as the one who swung around a silver lance as though it were a feather, and another who scored bullseye after bullseye with her bow. One girl, who was busy screaming at her horse to move, caught her eye the most. For the sake of entertaining herself, Nina stayed and watched for a few good minutes until she got bored and carried on._

 _The target range was the best place for her to start, so that was where she intended to begrudgingly head. However, after shoving through groups of armored bodies and accidentally stepping into the javelin range, she was stopped by the sensation of a palm on her shoulder. It was a strong palm with a firm grip, most likely a boy's. The feeling terrified her, and sweat already began to gather at her palms as she whipped around. No, no, not a boy! She couldn't talk to boys to save her poor life!_

 _"What do you want?" she growled, only to pause seconds afterward. Instead of meeting the dignified chin or stubby hairs on the face of a boy, she instead saw gentle chocolate eyes and lush eyelashes. Long pink hair cascaded down her back, and her body hid behind the tough leather of her uniform._

 _On her visitor's face spread a grin._

 _"Hey! You must be the new girl. The one we stopped from robbing that fancy villa?"_

 _Once, Nina housed surprise. Now, it was irritation, so she swatted the stranger's hand from her shoulder._

 _"Yes, that's me. Do you need something?"_

 _"Not really. I just wanted to meet you face to face after everything I've heard. Rumor has it you're a real troublemaker, miright?"_

 _"Yeah..." Nina began to trudge away, only to have the girl hastily trot after her._

 _"Oh, sorry if that hurt your feelings. Honest."_

 _Rolling her eyes, Nina quickened her pace. What an annoying girl; she kept her from doing her work. If her father found her chatting instead of doing what she was told, which was practicing like everyone else, she would surely get it later on._

 _"You're forgiven. Can you leave me alone now?"_

 _"Why?"_

 _"I need to get to the archery range before my father bites my head off."_

 _The girl smiled again as she picked up on speed as well._

 _"Oh, the archery range. Well... I guess I could leave you alone, but I would hate to do that when I know you're headed the wrong way."_

 _She caught Nina's ear, and she paused and looked around her shoulder, frowning in the meantime._

 _"What do you mean? The range is right over there!" She directed her attention to the land ahead of her, where several lined across the field furiously spewed arrows. Their skill was not that of an amateur's. It was advanced... almost too advanced for Nina's liking. Though the evidence was right in front of her, the girl furiously shook her head._

 _"No, no, no. That's the range for the higher quality bows, usually steel or stronger. The targets over there are tougher, so they can withstand more attacks than the targets at the other range." She approached Nina, took her bow, then gave it a pseudo-studious examination. "Looks like Lord Corrin wanted you to start off with a bronze bow. Definitely not strong enough to get an arrow in one of those targets over there."_

 _Scowling, Nina snatched the weapon back and observed it herself. Moments later, she was growling._

 _"Dammit. My father knows I can use a better weapon than this shoddy piece of junk. Why didn't he tell this Corrin person when we were in the armory?"_

 _"Whoa, whoa. You don't sound too happy, spewing profanity so early in the morning."_

 _"Yeah. I'm not in a good mood, in case you haven't noticed. Does it look like I want to be here, caught up in a war I don't have any business being caught up in?"_

 _The girl pooched out her lips, her cheeks reddening beneath the brutality of the sun as she slowly gave her a nod. Her smile grew richer._

 _"Oh, I see. You're not adjusted yet," she motioned for her to follow as she began walking away. Having no superior options, Nina followed at a distance. "What you need is some time to get to know everything around here a little better." To Nina's surprise, the girl gracefully offered her gloved palm, submissively cupping it toward the sky. She dipped her head subtly. "A cup of tea always soothes the nerves. Care to go to town and share one with me?"_

 _Nina was unamused._

 _"When we're supposed to be sparring and drilling? I don't think so."_

 _"No need to worry about that. The man in charge is so old he can barely pay attention to two things at once. I go out to town all the time and have never gotten in trouble."_

 _Her words must have been convincing enough, for a while later, the two found themselves hiding from the sun under the parasol at the tea parlor. The stranger girl seemed overly delighted by the turnout, and Nina... Nina wasn't quite sure what to think at the moment, for her attention was too busy wandering around, making sure there was nobody sent by her father to spy on her. There was quite a crowd flowing past them, so there was only so much she could take in. When she felt comfortable enough, she slowly brought her cup to her lips and took a quaint sip._

 _"The tea's good," she commented modestly._

 _"Isn't it? The people at this café know just how much sugar to put in; any more and it'd be enough to kill a hummingbird, but any less and it'd be no different than drinking hot water. Have all you want, it's on me." Across from the table, the stranger propped her chin atop a fist, staring at her visitor happily. "I'm Soleil, by the way. Daughter of Laslow. And you? I heard your name around camp once, but I think it slipped my mind. Let's see, what was it? It started with an E... Epi- Epo-, no, Erpa-"_

 _"Nina," she corrected, her tone stiff with distaste. It made Soleil slap on a sly grin as she eased closer to the table, narrowing her eyes suspiciously._

 _"No way. I heard your name starting with an E. Are you tricking me? Trying to see if I'm as scatterbrained as they say?"_

 _"No. It's Nina."_

 _"Nuh-uh."_

 _Nina was taken aback by her approach at arguing. It reminded her of an immature child, yet for some reason, the longer she lingered on it, the more it made sense. It was as if some sort of genius hid behind the absurdity. Either that, or something in the tea was getting too close to her head._

 _She chose to take part in the profoundness._

 _"Uh-huh."_

 _"Liar."_

 _"Are not."_

 _"Are too."_

 _She had not yet built up the endurance to withstand a long debate with someone as hardheaded as her opponent, so it was only a matter of time until she decided to cave in and allow Soleil to emerge victor. With a groan, she leaned back into her chair and crossed her arms, rolling her eyes in the meantime._

 _"Fine. It's a nickname."_

 _With satisfaction, Soleil gladly took a sip of her tea, smirking in the meantime._

 _"Thought so. Now that we've got that out of the way, what's your real name? Don't worry, you can tell me. I'm great at keeping secrets." She was unaware of how the question would alter Nina's face so vividly, for her brows furrowed and her eyes darted away. The coyness brought a blush to her audience's face. That flush was something Nina did not see._

 _"Éponine," she grumbled before drowning it in her tea. Upon relieving the cup, her tone strengthened. "But if you want me to respond to anything you say, my name is Nina. Got that?"_

 _"Sounds like there's a long and complicated story behind it, so I won't pry." Soleil continued to smirk as she offered her palm for a shake. When the other took it, she gripped her hand tautly and allowed it to bob up and down without any sense of rhythm. "Nice to meet you, Éponine." She immediately received a dirty look, which evoked a hearty laugh from her throat. Her cheeks grew rosier. "Ha! Just kidding, Nina. I wanted to see what you looked like when you get mad. Gotta say you're pretty cute..."_

 _The comment made Nina's hand retract as she cooled herself. What anger she had subsided, only to be replaced by the sensation of being weirded out. She chose to direct her feelings on a couple that was sitting at a table a little ways down the isle. One was a lady who was of little importance, for she was overshadowed by the hunk that sat across from her. He had a nice bush growing from his chin, finely combed hair and eyebrows, and glossy eyes the same shade as the tea at which he sipped. Like Soleil, he had a hearty laugh._

 _In reference to the man, Nina cocked her flushing head to the side in hopes of directing Soleil's gaze._

 _"If you want cute, take a gander at him over there. What would you give to see him and his friends play a friendly game of stoolball?"_

 _When Soleil looked, Nina was surprised to see that she wasn't amused. With a shrug, she easily averted her gaze to replace it on her._

 _"He's okay."_

 _"Okay? What do you mean he's okay?" As if in a frenzy, she surveyed their surroundings again, then, once she found what she was looking for, motioned for her to look a different direction._

 _"What about him over there? I'd say he's even more handsome than the last one... ehe... Imagine the sparks that would fly if he were friends with him."_

 _"Nah."_

 _"What? Well... What about that one over there?"_

 _"Nuh-uh."_

 _"Geez! Are there any guys around here you find cute?"_

 _Soleil responded with a simple shake of the head, which was followed by an unexpected swing in the mood. Her rich brown eyes fell back on Nina in the form of a leer. Nina's discomfort levels rose again, and for good reason:_

 _"I like girls. Boys just don't tickle my fancy."_

 _The statement was all it took to have Nina rise, even though her tea wasn't finished. She looked down at Soleil, whose smile had dropped into a brand of confusion (almost concern), as she cleared her throat._

 _"I think we're done here," she said. "Thanks for the tea. In return for buying, let me know if you need any money down the line." As she prepared to walk away, however, Soleil bolted up from her seat and held out her hands in attempt to get her to stop. Nina did stop, but that was out of hope that she would release another one of those throaty bellows and confess the ordeal to be another joke... But she didn't. Instead, she hopped in front of her, eyes widening._

 _"S-Something wrong, Nina? Was it something I said?"_

 _"For starters, girls aren't supposed to like girls. Don't you know that?"_

 _"Of course I know that. Stealing from fancy mansions isn't right either."_

 _"At least I stole from a fancy mansion so I could retrieve the money that'd been swindled out of poor people's pockets. What's your excuse?"_

 _"I can't help what I like- it's just the issue I have to work my way through. Everybody's got issues. You aren't leaving because I have an issue, are you?"_

 _Nina squinted._

 _"No, it's not because you have an issue, it's because of what the issue is and how you're acting upon it. Don't think I didn't know what that leer you gave me meant. You were thinking about getting intimate with me. That's the whole reason why you asked me to go get tea!"_

 _Soleil, both flustered and puzzled, blinked._

 _"I-Intimate?"_

 _"Yeah. Intimate."_

 _"You don't mean..."_

 _Nina approached her slowly, scowling, frowning, jabbing her upper chest with an index. She paused when she was in close enough proximity to whisper. The whisper would be drowned by the many voices and shuffles and clangs and bangs that surrounded them, but only its only listener could clearly hear its message. It made her face turn red hot, hot enough to fry an egg on her cheeks. In denial, she furiously shook her head and regained her space._

 _"N-No... No, no, no, that's not what I was after. Honest! I just think girls look cute, that's all."_

 _With disbelief, Nina's shoulders dropped._

 _"So you like girls..."_

 _"Uh-huh..."_

 _"But you don't want to romance them."_

 _"No way."_

 _"And yet you gave me that look."_

 _In attempt to fend for herself, Soleil shook her head even harder._

 _"Don't take that personally. It's just something I do. There's never much thought put into it."_

 _"Why do you do it then?"_

 _"Well, it's..." Her shoulders, once square, dropped, and she stared oddly at the ground. Her eyes clouded with the conflict that raged on in her mind. "It's something I do. I've done it for years. I know why, but it's just kind of... I prefer to keep it to myself, really..."_

 _Nina sighed, closing her eyes roughly as she crossed her arms._

 _"Okay then. Look, you seem like a nice person, but harassing girls like that makes them uncomfortable. If you can't learn to control yourself, I'm going to be keeping my distance." She turned around to walk away, where she was swallowed by the crowd in the neighboring street. Soleil went after her in hopes of explaining herself further, but the moment she squeezed her way into the river, Nina was nowhere to be seen. Like a specter in the night, she had disappeared, leaving Soleil to pause in the midst of the current, awestruck._

 _"Nina..." she whispered to herself after being shoved aside by a few pedestrians. "The first person to ever ask me why instead of just pushing me away..." A smile softly crept across her lips. Suddenly, carrying on with her everyday business didn't seem so bad anymore, even in the wake of what would otherwise be a day-destroying rejection. She hadn't known Nina for an hour and she already made her think the hardest her skull could in a long, long time._

 _Why was she? Why did she do what she did? Why did she have her issues?_

 _Who was Soleil?_

 _For the rest of that day, out of respect for her newfound acquaintance, Soleil didn't talk to a single girl._


	11. Trial's Confessions

When Nina roused, the foremost thing of which she took notice was the agonizing pain in her neck. It became irritated with even the slightest movement. It was as if it were punishing her, but the longer she remained still, the more it hurt to eventually move. In a matter of a few moments, reality came crashing down on her like a sledge hammer. When the impact finally struck, she tried to sigh. It hurt too much to sigh, so she resorted to muttering a gentle groan.

Softly, her eyes slid open, where she was greeted by what was, at first, an alarming sight. Two brown orbs fixed themselves upon her, staring back at a frighteningly close distance. Upon the lair of pillows, untouched by any villain, Soleil was lying next to her, evidently in the midst of dutiful monitoring. They took a few minutes to attempt to exchange messages via stares, but their pioneering work did little to innovate their methods of communication. Soleil was the first to finally budge and slowly ease closer. Most notably, her face was caked with worry.

"How're you feeling?" she asked softly, to which Nina struggled to respond.

"I could... be better..." A mere cough pained her greatly. "But I don't remember... falling asleep..."

"You haven't been out long. Twenty minutes max." Her eyes wandered to the side. When they did not talk, the fires above them did. The crackling noise soothed what would otherwise be an unsettling environment. "I thought you might've needed the rest since you weren't feeling good and all..." Those same eyes narrowed. "I... I'm really sorry, Nina... If I'd been just a few seconds sooner, you wouldn'tve..."

"Yeah, yeah... yeah... I get it. You're sorry. You were scared. Don't worry... I was too. It's not your fault..." Because she could not move her head much, she tried to catch a quick scan of their confinement with the radius of her gaze. They were, quite obviously, in what was once only Soleil's prison, spared from the havoc of combat. The sight did not catch her fancy, which was why she quickly replaced her gaze on her partner. "What we need to do is focus... on getting out of... here..."

"If we knew where we were, that might actually be doable."

"I have no idea where we are... precisely, but... we're definitely in the custody of the... Wind Tribe. I doubt we're... far from their village..." Suddenly, her eyes widened to display a face more worried than Soleil's. She blinked a time in discomfort, then tried to scan the room a second time. Her actions were far faster as if she had cultivated some sort of strength. "There was a guard... outside the door on my side. I wonder why... he... didn't come in when he heard all the... ruckus..."

Soleil rose from her laying position, stiff and ready for action. The door that stood not too far from them didn't look conspicuous whatsoever, so she did not offer it much of her precious attention. After hesitation that ultimately did her nothing, she turned back to Nina.

"Think maybe he went to get some buddies from the village? That was a pretty big guy in there. I bet it'd take at least two men just to get him under control. They'd need more to be sure you didn't make a run for it while they were holding him down."

While in their conversation, neither noticed how the door behind them slowly began to ease open... until Soleil's head peeked up and turned to watch it. The more time that passed, the more gradual Soleil's journey to her feet became. By the time she stood, stiff shouldered with clenching fists, a man stepped inside. Behind him followed two others, both baring a pair of menacing wakizashi. Even so, Soleil stood guard over Nina, who made attempts to rise as well. For once, it was acceptable for her process to be slow. Just ahead of her, there was nothing but a staring match between the two parties. Nothing more.

During the time, it was wise of them to study their potential opponents. The pair that were armed happened to have their attention stolen by the one who led them. He was worthy of the most scrutiny. He was old, as proven by the hints of wrinkles on his skin, and he was hairless wherever his body was revealed, which would be his chest and head. His sculpted arms and taut belly complimented the string of thick beads wrapped around his neck and the ring of gold around his finger. Unlike the man who lay motionless in the room next door, his golden skin bore no patterns whatsoever. Though he held no weapon, he seemed to be the most threatening. Though he seemed to be the most threatening, an air of peace swirled about him.

"Salutations, travelers," he greeted with a stiff bow. His voice was deep and mellow, reserved in every respect. "I have come to speak with she who proclaims herself the leader of your party."

Soleil certainly didn't think of herself as leader. She was just along for the escorting job (and other, more selfish, reasons that weren't necessary to consider at the moment). While keeping an eye on the three at the door, she backed up to Nina's side, crouched, and gave her a questioning look.

"Um..." she whispered as she assisted the girl to her feet. "Is that you?"

"Looks like it," Nina rasped back. When she finally stood, albeit flimsily, she took several deep breaths at a time and clung to what gave her structure. Her eyes went to the man as she prepared her aching throat to ring with a stronger voice. She was in for pain, she knew, but it was necessity that drove her to ignore it to whatever degree her power would allow. She nodded to the man subtly.

In response to her motions, the man crept deeper inside, leaving his men in his wake. His stride was ghostly, for his head did not bob, nor did his shoulders bounce. He was the prime example of power and grace, both of which were kept on a short and manipulative leash. A little ways from where they stood, he came to a pause and bowed again.

"I am Fuga, Chieftain of the Wind Tribe. It is within my conjecture I am speaking a language you both comprehend?" Having been left with all the talking, Nina nodded again. In response, the man gifted them with a smile. A comforting smile. It made the two relax, even if it was slight. "Good. I have come to welcome you to my village. So long as you pose us no threat, we will pose you no threat."

"We were... never posing a threat... in the first place..." Nina growled. She attempted to stand without Soleil's support, but was quick to retreat once she realized she did herself no good. "We were... camping along the shore... when you guys must've... taken us..."

"That is true. The lookout crew spotted the light that came from your lantern, and we made arrangements to pacify any uneasiness we had about the two of you. I am sorry if that has caused any inconvenience to you, and I hope you both find compassion."

Nina scowled, and her grip on Soleil tightened.

"That's hard to do when... you put me in a room... with a guy that nearly choked me to death..." She endured the agony that came with lifting her head to display the black and gray that gathered around her neck. Fuga observed the sight distastefully, and eventually, to Soleil's utmost discomfort, he reached out and brushed the tips of his fingers against her wound. Though Nina could not see what happened next, Soleil certainly did. Her eyes widened at the sight, for where his fingers ran, Nina's skin faded back to its natural hue.

"My apologies, young lady." He turned to Soleil, where he gave her a strict, yet somehow gentle, gaze. "I can tell the both of you have been through much hardship. Tell me, to where are you headed, and why?"

Nina hesitated. It was no coincidence that the man's touch was followed by the immediate soothing of her aching throat. It was natural that she felt she owed him something after such a miraculous favor, even though he was most likely responsible for the injury in the first place.

"We're merchants headed to the capital of Hoshido. Our travels recently brought us north from Mokushu, but it's summer, so we had to take a detour around the Kitsune territory."

"The Kitsune are notorious for their uptightness during the warm months. For that I express my condolences. Your travels have been prolonged. From what country do you hail, travelers?"

"Hoshido."

Fuga continued to eye them, especially she who had been healed by his aging fingers. His wrinkles deepened with the conforms of his altering expression, which was not the most promising of expressions. Both members of his audience grew tense... not visibly, but, with their bodies pressed together, they could most definitely feel the other. A man so mysterious and sovereign would not make an easy foe. They could only hope he never became one.

However, the best blessed them with its presence. Once again, Fuga smiled.

"Beautiful Hoshido, one of the countries I love. Though I withhold my tribe's philosophy of autonomy, I love Hoshido and my late friend Emperor Sumeragi. Consider yourselves my guests from now on, friends." Again, he offered them a humbling bow as he led them out of the prison. The two were evidently hesitant to follow, but at Nina's prejudice command, they trailed him a few feet behind.

The sun hit them the moment they departed from their prison, and both shielded their eyes until they were finally adjusted. When they looked, they found themselves in the midst of what should've been an arid wasteland. What they found instead, however, was a thriving civilization. Windmills towered over them, turning slowly. Barriers withheld rich soil, likely harvested elsewhere, and an intricate maze of channels for water. Beneath a bridge flowed an aqueduct, which sprang from the bottom of the windmill. It disappeared into a hole that ran deep into the ground, never to be seen again.

People of all shapes and sizes wandered around, some working, and some, mostly children, playing. Women effortlessly carried their jugs of water atop their crowns, and men were cooperating to deliver stacks of wood to a pile that stood in what was assumed to be the center of the commotion. Some were tattooed, some were not, but each had the same tan complexion as their neighbor. One man, after being summoned by Fuga, came to visit them. They conversed in a different language for a brief period of time. When they were done, the stranger quickly ran ahead of their tracks.

The ruckus surrounding them had Soleil and Nina remain tightly knit together, fearing one would stray from the other. They stayed close behind Fuga as he led them through the town, then eventually up the steps that led to one of the mightiest buildings in the village.

Soleil caved beneath the need to crack a joke, so she leaned over to Nina's delicate ear.

"This is probably where they kill trespassers."

Nina didn't find much humor in it, which was why she frowned and gave her a flick on the arm.

"That's not funny!"

The inside of the mammoth temple, as one could reasonably predict, met them with a majestic hall that seemed to roll for miles and miles. Initially, the two were awestruck by the scenery and made a vain attempt to take it all in at once. The ceiling towered high above them, giving a place for hanging fires to grapple. Tall pillars of sandstone supported the structure, their size transforming theirs to puniness. A long train of red carpet snaked down to the feature presentation: an authoritative door that scrutinized every move they so much as dared to make.

When Fuga drew himself to a pause, so did his followers, who watched him with anticipation and wonder. He crossed his strong arms behind his rigid back as he at last pivoted around an ankle. He proudly presented the hall to them officially.

"I welcome you to the Temple of the Wind. Here roams our elders, to whom I plan to present you." His eyes narrowed and wandered to the side. To be more precise, they landed on Soleil. "But first, of course..." He brought a hand up, but only to snap his fingers. The noise bounced off the walls for what felt like forever before, after clearing his throat, he began calling in a tongue they failed to understand.

From behind the pillars emerged three women, all dressed in a white garb that highlighted their voluptuous figures. They headed for Soleil, who, while gardening a furious blush, raised her brows. Assuming the women were to pass them based off their trajectory, she was sure to better her figure and image. Where once her form was unpolished, she sharpened her stance to show off the broadness of her shoulders, her head held high with flattery. Nina was tempted to roll her eyes, but the women ran too fast to let her in time. Instead of passing them as Soleil anticipated, they instead surrounded her.

It was reasonable to say that Soleil's crimson grew darker, but some would argue that was an understatement. She looked at them all one by one before finally giving way to a slight, but somewhat delighted, chuckle.

"Oh, um... Hello ladies... eh... Wanna go out for tea?" Their answer broke the mood instantly, for two took her by behind and wrapped an arm under either of her shoulders. The one who remained in front snatched her by the ankles. In only a moment, Soleil went from flushing to trying to break free. The women continued to hoist her off of the ground despite her resistance. No matter how much she kicked or wrestled, she could not prevail. "H-Hey! Let go of me! Hey! Nina!"

The women set off with her, and before Nina could chase them, Fuga swiftly took her captive with a single arm.

"Soleil!"

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!" The women, and Soleil, disappeared behind a door at the side of a hall. They did not come out, and Soleil's cries could no longer be heard. The sight brought fury to the face of she who remained. She swiftly turned back to the man behind her, ready to bark, snarl, and bite.

"Where the hell're they taking her? What're they going to do? Hey! Answer me you-"

"A patient heart always receives its answers. They shall come when it least expects them, and it will rejoice for the rest of its days."

"Can it with the proverb crap! I want to know what they're doing with her!"

Fuga's expression became grim, especially as he spitefully looked down at her. Like his mouth, his brows dropped as he replaced his hands behind his back once again. His friendly facade disappeared just as Soleil had, soon replaced by the front of business. It humbled Nina's tone slightly.

"If you want to see her again, you will come with me," he spoke lowly, sending a chill down her aching back. She was tempted to back off, but forced herself to stand her ground. Unlike the last man she encountered at such a close distance, she made sure to keep herself from striking him in the throat. That probably would have made him mad too.

Unwillingly, Nina left the door that swallowed Soleil behind, trailing Fuga down the hall that led to the other ominous door. Before it, Fuga closed his eyes thoughtfully, clasped his palms together, then greeted it with a stiff bow. That bow in particular, however, lingered far longer than its previous incarnations, and it was laced with intimate details of respect. When he turned to Nina upon finishing, he motioned for her to do the same. Albeit uncomfortable, she amateurishly mirrored him with inexperienced hands. The moment she was done, Fuga at last shoved the doors open, then beckoned her into the inkiness that waited beyond. As expected, Nina was negligent to comply, but that was before he reminded her that Soleil's return happened to be dependent on her decision.

Supposedly, at least.

Each one of her steps was cautious. When she set one foot on the floor, she grounded it the best she could, then ungrounded the other to take the next step. When she was still, she scanned the area around her with prejudice, prepared to break out into a sprint at any given moment. Rinse and repeat until she arrived at Fuga's side again, who awaited her before three tall seats. Slowly, Fuga turned to those seats, where he met an elderly body resting at each chair respectively. One of his knees kissed the ground, as did a hand, as he dipped his head before them. From his lips spewed the same unfamiliar tongue he used earlier, which came in the form of a lengthy paragraph of words. The term "Hoshido" was the most of the girl beside him could pick out and attempt to interpret.

From the darkness uttered a few words in response. As if they were commands, Fuga returned to his feet, and he faced Nina. He looked down upon her grimly.

"The elders wish to know your name. They will decide if you can be trusted to stay among our people."

Nina's eyes widened.

"St-Stay? We were trying to avoid you guys so we could get to the capital sooner. Can't you just escort us out of your-"

"Your name."

For someone who interrupted Soleil a lot, Nina certainly found it flustering to be interrupted herself. Nonetheless, she faced the elders timidly, blinking a few times before awkwardly clearing her throat.

"N-Nina..." Shoot. It was a bad time to remember that she and Soleil needed to come up with disguise names. Nina and Soleil didn't sound Hoshidan at all. In fact, "Soleil" happened to be a name that _originated_ from a Nohrian territory. The origin of Nina's name was western as well, but that was her _real_ name. So long as those losers did not know that, she might be able to skew their judgment for the present.

But then, from the seats came a disheartened rasp. Whatever it was the elders said, it did not put Fuga in a better mood. His hardened eyes traveled back to her, growing harder by the second. The look on his face alone forced sweat to bead on her forehead.

"Your _real_ name, miss."

It was a miracle Nina did not pass out then and there. With how white she had turned, any who looked at her would have surely figured that she had been drained by a vampire. She remained standing in spite of her affliction, fighting the urge to obey her instincts and break for the door. Beneath the man, the seemingly omniscient man, she cowered.

"Éponine," she corrected herself softly.

Fuga and the elders went back to their conversing. Their tone disheartened the terrified listener. The disheartenment went to further itself when the man heaved a sigh, and the room fell victim to silence. She took a step back when he approached her. His eyes were cold. Unbelieving. Prejudice.

"Miss Éponine..." he began softly. "I am going to test you."

"T-Test me for what?" She began trembling.

"Your leadership qualities. Your conviction. Your judgement. Are you prepared?" She obviously wanted to shake her head with every ounce of strength coursing within her body, but she nodded anyway. "Good." He eased closer, "If you lie to me, I will have no choice but to kill both you and your companion. With that said, do you truly originate from Hoshido?"

She tried to swallow what little saliva spewed from beneath her tongue, only to find the task cumbersome thanks to a desert for a throat. Make it or break it, the back of her head echoed. Of course the Wind Tribe boasted autonomy as Fuga had previously said, but did they truly? Hoshido was clearly favored over Nohr. What would they do to them if she confessed their identity as Nohrian? Would they take them prisoner so they didn't reach Hoshido? Would they _kill_ them so they didn't reach Hoshido? What if they knew she was lying if she dared to try preserving their precious secret?

She had no choice but to follow her trusty gut.

Too bad for her Soleil wasn't there, otherwise she probably would have dumped the responsibility on her. However, if she knew where Soleil was and what was happening to her, she would wonder if switching places would really do her any good. Both were in equally unpleasant situations: one was standing before a trio of psychic judges, the other was being tied down to a slab of rock.

Soleil wasn't the type to give in easily, which is exactly why she continued to try gaining freedom as the mysterious, but beautiful, women delivered her to a room. There, to her misfortune, more women were waiting. If Soleil couldn't fight out of the grasp of three, chances were she couldn't escape from three more. They forcefully set her on the aforementioned rock before their hands began working. Under normal circumstances, Soleil would have passed out due to ecstasy overload. Six lovely women, three holding her down, three others removing her top and underclothes... She wasn't terrified because she was embarrassed that she was being stripped (she was Soleil, and Soleil was never embarrassed). She was terrified because she didn't know _why_ she was being stripped.

They didn't leave her to be exposed for long, thankfully, seeing that they hurriedly concealed her chest with tight gauze. The moment they were done, the women immediately tied her down to the table. When she stopped fighting, Soleil groaned at the realization that her best chance at escape had flown by. She had been too distracted to take notice and seize it.

Little did that matter. Her concerns turned to the hands that probed at her arm. When their expert fingers began undoing the makeshift bandage, Nina's handiwork, she worriedly began struggling again.

"Hold up! Don't untie that! I've got a wound that needs to stay covered!" Her only response would be a hand that gently, and quickly, pat her on the head. She wasn't sure what it meant, but she was willing to lay down money on the bet that it was supposed to comfort her. Too bad. She wasn't comforted whatsoever. The women studied the gaping hole where the front of an arrow once called home. They began discussing what was most likely the sight in the same language she didn't understand. It was a fast, but somehow attractive, tongue that did distract her for a short amount of time. What drug her out of her bout was the sight of the roll of gauze that was resurrected for business. They took her injured arm and pulled it away from her torso, where they began tying it again. Relieved, Soleil heaved a sigh. "Oh, I get it. You lovely ladies are nurses. Are you going to help my arm? Gee, that'd be great if you did." She paused when she turned to look at their work. Her face dropped again. "Oh... Um... Why're you wrapping the bandages _around_ the wound? Aren't you going to cover it?"

The women didn't listen to her... Either that, or they couldn't understand a word she said, a more plausible theory. They continued with their work, which was strange. The gauze's layers, none of which shielded her wound, gradually grew thicker. Soon enough, it was as if the bandages had shaped into a window, as if the wound was a thing worthy of presentation. Upon tying the gauze taut, one woman, presumably the matron, spat different orders at the others. They dispersed.

One went to get a pot that was marked with blue paint.

Another retrieved a ladle.

Two secured the binds that kept Soleil to the slab.

And one, most questionable of all, went to a stove to retrieve a pot of boiling water.

Soleil's eyes widened suddenly, and, out of nervousness, a smile spread across her lips as she released a laugh. She eyed what she assumed was the matron.

"U-Um... What're you guys doing?"

The matron leaned over her body on the table. One of her gentle hands took one that was bound, the other softly ran her fingers through her hair. In the same attractive tongue, she whispered soothing words into her ears. Granted, she didn't know what those words meant, but at least they were pretty. Though she should've been lost in another world from such a treatment, Soleil couldn't help but be all the more worried.

Something bad was probably about to happen. Something really, _really_ bad.

The nurses made way for the pot of water to come through. Seeing the sight of steam rising from the mouth made their patient fidgety, especially when they pulled her arm even further from the rest of her body. Being a decent puzzle solver, Soleil was slowly beginning to put things together.

Slowly...

Slowly...

When it finally clicked, she yelped and made several attempts to free herself. Her body thrashed recklessly, yet only got her stomach to move, seeing that her hands and ankles were tight against the table. In response to a command shouted from the matron, one woman threw herself on her belly in attempt to hold her down. One wasn't enough, so another joined in. After placing her palm on Soleil's mouth, the matron at last looked up to the pot-barer, then gave her a subtle nod. Nodding back, the other woman brought the steam closer to the wound until it was deathly close. Gently, she began tilting it until a waterfall came flowing out of the side and crashing down onto her skin.

The matron's hand wasn't quite enough to suppress the following screech. The screech led to the next screech, which led to another. Soleil didn't care about what made her look cool anymore. All she wanted was death. Death would be her one and only savior from a pain so great. Hoping the reaper would hear her call, she continued to bellow until her lungs threatened to give in. Any efforts she gave toward thrashing were tranquilized by the many who fought to hold her steady, and in the meantime, the stream continued to flow out of the pot and onto her wound. When it left the wound, it trickled down the side of her arm and slid off the side of the slab. The long, grueling process continued until the pot-barer called out over the ruckus and withdrew herself.

Quickly, the matron went to the vase branded by blue and the ladle. With nothing to muffle the screaming, many of the women soon found themselves abandoning Soleil's body to cover their ears. Lucky for them, she wouldn't be screaming for too much longer; after dipping the ladle in the pot, the matron delivered one last stream to the wound. It was a blueish liquid, thicker than water, but thinner than something such as molasses. The moment it landed on her skin, Soleil calmed, breathing furiously quick, but closing her eyes in relief. All the unbearable pain the boiling water had given her dissipated in a matter of seconds, effortlessly pacifying her. She remained still, relaxing, allowing her exposed belly to rise and drop at a slower and slower pace. While growing a smile, the matron regained herself and gave her patient another pat on the head.

If only Nina felt the same sort of relief. If only she could feel the wind sweep her off her feet and carry her to the soft mattress of a cloud. She wanted to be careless for a change, to see things finally tend to her interests. The world would be a better place had it been her friend, but reality reminded her that it was a union of forsakenness. It remained locked in the realm of fantasy, and there it was bound to stay.

Both were being led out of where they were taken by their respective leaders, returning to the mighty artery of the temple. One was enthusiastically skipping along, flinging her injured arm with no pain to handicap her, but the other hung her head as though she had been given a death sentence in the near future. Olive eyes were wide with terror, and heartbeats suddenly came in greater quantity. The rejuvenating factor was the reunion they had. Two pairs of feet scampered to meet one another.

"Soleil!" Nina huffed upon arrival, hunching nervously. Her gaze testified to her words. "Thank goodness... You're okay."

"Not just okay..." Soleil rolled up the sleeve of her top, which had been replaced on her body, to reveal one of her robust arms. There, instead of a gauze, or even a hole for that matter, was her wound that had already embarked its journey to closing. "They've healed me! There's some kind of miracle drug back there!"

For the moment, Nina was distracted from what made her dreadful. Impressed, she eased closer to examine the wound further, blinking in awe.

"W-Wow..." She turned to Fuga, who watched them from a distance. "You... You had her taken back there to get healed?"

"Of course." He smiled softly, deepening his wrinkles. "It is our custom. No guest of ours is to suffer so long as we have the supplies to help them. I had your friend be treated by the elixir of the dragon herb, a medicine both rare and powerful alike. Her wound should be gone within a few days if she does nothing to reopen it."

Soleil grinned, then excitedly swung her arm around a few times more.

"Boy, oh boy. It's too bad that stuff's rare, otherwise I'd buy a lifetime supply!" When she looked back at Nina, she would be surprised to see that her excitement still hadn't quite picked up. She was still grim. It wasn't uncommon, but it wasn't appropriate for the moment, it seemed. Her sonars detected that something was amiss.

To prove her conjectures correct, Nina released a huff.

"So you played me," she grumbled. "Here all this time I was thinking you weren't going to let me see her again..."

"Correct. I apologize for the heartache. It was necessary for the test, and I hope you can learn to realize that and steady yourself." Fuga laughed slightly. "As if we would hurt either of you. Ha!"

Nina's mood remained foul for the rest of the day, even when she and Soleil were given the entire visitor's hut to occupy. On top of having a cozy place to sleep, the two even had room service! To add to the luxury of room service, their bags were delivered, and further investigation revealed there to be nothing missing. To make the situation better, they even got to bathe in the first time in what felt like forever!

Soleil was, for good reason, curious as to why Nina carried herself with a sinking head throughout the day. Never, however, did she find it within herself to bring it up, much less inquire for the reasons. That was the case because the day was so packed with new things. New sights, new smells, new feelings. It was an experience, no doubt, so it kept them occupied for a long time.

But now that dinner was brought to their hut and placed before a fiery belly of the central furnace, things were to change.

Being aliens to the world of eastern cuisine, the two stared at the layout with utmost suspicion. Since the food was served with a pair of chopsticks, a tool they had yet to adapt to, they decided to compromise on their etiquette and eat with their hands. It was just the two of them eating in that hut anyhow, so it wasn't as though there was anyone to impress.

They took turns daring one another to try different things, usually what they thought looked the most disgusting for the sake of getting a laugh. To their delight, however, the majority of their prejudices were proven wrong. There was one, something that looked like a loaf of rice wrapped in a leaf, that was particularly tasty, as were balls of rice that hid meats and vegetables on the inside. There was one thing, a bowl of what seemed like sweet beans and daikons mixed in a strange sauce, that they chose to neglect. It was left to the side of their little dining area spread across the floor and forgotten about.

They reached a phase into dinner that had them quieter than before, mostly experimenting to themselves and reporting any astonishing discoveries. Soleil had far more than Nina, for she ate at a quicker pace. That wasn't something Soleil noticed at first, but repetition soon brought the fact to her attention. She stopped at the fifth piece of news.

"Ooh, these vegetables taste really good if you dip them in this... sauce..." The train of her speech, once oozing with excitement, faded into a confused, if not concerned, stare. She looked at Nina, who sat still at her side, eyes gazing dully down at the small bowl of water in her hands. In an instant, Soleil abandoned dinner, pivoted, then took the bowl from her palm. As she set it back on the ground, she peered deeper into her expression. "Hey... You don't look so good, Nina..."

Nina blinked a time or two before finally meeting her. Her gaze seemed to relay some of the burden onto her.

"I'm not," she said before dropping her head again. "I... made a mistake today, to put it bluntly..."

Soleil blinked too, but not because she was hesitant. She was just puzzled.

"Like what? I don't remember anything." She looked up pensively, then shrugged. "I mean, unless you want to count getting in a fight with that big guy back in the prison, but I don't think you're entirely responsible for that."

"No, it's not that, I..." She chewed on her lip. "While you were taken to where you had your arm worked on, I was led to see the village elders. It was like they knew everything about me. They knew I went by a nickname without me even telling them. They knew I grew up in a different realm than this one..." She looked up, wide-eyed. "They even knew what I wrote in page twenty-three in my favorite diary! Hrngh!"

"So what's the problem?"

"They made me tell the truth, Soleil! If I didn't, they'd know and have us both killed!" She tried to calm her breath when it escalated. "The Chief and the elders know we're from Nohr, and not just harmless ol' Nohrians; they know we were sent by the army to do espionage work in the capital. There's no telling what they're going to do with us now that they know. Did you hear the chief back in the prison? He said he and Emperor Sumeragi used to be friends! I'm certain they must've been cute together, so that's why I can't imagine him letting us go scot-free. They can call themselves neutral all they want, but I know which side they like. It's obviously Hoshido. To make sure we don't get our work done, they're either going to kill us or keep us here until the war's over. I'm not even sure about the last option. They might make us stay until we're dust and bones."

Soleil, while thinking to herself, remained particularly still. A few times, she blinked, but they were slight and gentle in nature. A rare happening for her, the girl known for her rashness. She smiled before long.

"I don't think there's much to worry about."

"Not a surprise to hear that from you."

"No, really! If they were going to hurt us, they wouldn't bother offering so much hospitality, would they? They used a rare herb for my wound, and now they're giving us an entire house and dinner. Why would they give so much to someone they were just going to kill in the end?"

Shrugging, Nina avoided her face.

"There's no telling what they're thinking. What if they like playing games with their victims? All they have to do is lure them into a place of security, and when the moment is right, pounce!"

Her sudden exclamation made Soleil jump in surprise. It was only a matter of time, a short time, before she regathered herself and drew near again, however. Nina's theories weren't likely, but that didn't mean they were complete bogus. Soleil was well aware of the fact that the world was filled with people who had sadistic tendencies. A prime example would be someone like Niles. Heck, inheritance of that trait could even be seen in Nina, though it was more hidden. The apple must not have fallen too far from the tree.

Though she thought Nina's fears were silly, Soleil refused to laugh, nor mock, her. She drew closer, and, when she was least expecting it, snatched her neighbor in her arms and embraced her. With her arm feeling in tip-top shape, her grip had the opportunity to be more merciless than ever.

"Aw, it's nothing to worry about. Even if those guys did try to hurt us after all this, I'll fight 'em off of you. You're too cute for their ugly fingers to touch."

Strangely, Nina remained still, even while she was pulled closer to her captor.

"Against a bunch of burly men? Sorry, but I don't think you can pull it off."

"That's okay, because I won't be using pure strength alone. I have the power of sheer love on my side!" While maintaining her hold on Nina, she fell backward, pulling her along for the ride. That was something Nina happened to have a problem with, which was most likely why she released a shout as they fell. When Soleil's back hit the ground, she held Nina tighter, giggling in the meantime. "I love you, Nina!"

No longer did Nina stay still. There were two conjectures she had at the moment. One said that Soleil confessed such things to distract her from her worries (and it was a surefire method), and another said that Soleil was confessing because she was kidding around. That was Soleil's sense of humor, she'd long learned. It was reasonable to assume reality was a mixture of both ideas.

Because the room suddenly gained an air of thickness, Nina finally struggled out of Soleil's arms, then rolled off of her and onto the floor. Her expression darkened in the meantime, and she went out of her way to make sure she had a watcher.

"You're not serious, right?"

She wouldn't have seen how Soleil's eyes dulled. The shadow was only there for a second before being masked by the artificial light of excitement. Those eyes closed, and she slapped on another stupid smile.

"Ha! Of course I'm not serious! Whether I was in love with you or not, you'll never know. There's no way you'll ever be converted to see the true beauty of a girl's love." One of her fingers, her index, poked her in the forehead. "Your loss."

Relieved, the other sighed and laughed back.

" _My_ loss? Sorry, but _you're_ the one who's missing out. Men are among the greatest things that could ever happen to a woman!"

Their argument beyond that was fake.

It was all fake, and they both knew it. The one thing they didn't know was the fact that the other was aware of the fact that it was fake. They both thought they were alone in their thoughts, never sharing a thing.

The isolation of two identical worlds made them cold.

They spewed pseudo-hateful comment after pseudo-hateful comment during their age-old debate. It was a religious motion they were obligated to follow.

Their words became feigned.

Cold.

Inanimate.

The distance continued into bedtime, which did not follow too far after dinner. Without exchanging much between one another, they worked together to pile the bowls atop one another. Some were empty, and some weren't. The dirty dishes would be abandoned on the opposite side of the room when they migrated to where a pallet lay spread across the floor. They weren't near one another when they undressed into their sleeping clothes, guided only by the dying fire in the furnace and the moonlight creeping inside through the window.

Soleil kept her body covered in her underclothes, which was modest for her standards.

Nina didn't shed much besides her sandals and the holders that maintained her braids.

When they finally put themselves to sleep, they didn't lay as close as they normally would. It was an odd decision, for the desert grew cold and unprotected at night. A thoughtful soul, Soleil allowed Nina to have most of the pallet and neared the border between blanket and cold rocky ground. Spooky howls of the wind broke against the fighting walls of their abode. The subtle creaks of aging windmills harmonized with the glimmering sand that flew along with the breeze.

They didn't even tell one another goodnight, for they were far too lost in their own isolation to toss their concerns on the other. They lost sight of their faces. Trembling took home in their hands and core. Silence drove a wedge between the backs that faced one another.

The longer into the night they ventured, the harder they found it to sleep. They could feel the other's restlessness. The way they breathed in the quiet of the night. The way they steadily eased further away from one another until the bed almost wasn't inhabited at all.

Who could be their savior from the deathly silence?

 _Would_ there be a savior?

Would that savior refuse to come and leave the rest of their venture to such a somber air?

No.

They had to be their own saviors.

They had to face things themselves, stoic in the eye, even when they were terrified in the core.

Nina was the foremost to realize such a thing.

She started by slowly breathing in, sucking as much air as she could until her lungs screamed in agony, similar to how they had earlier that morning. For a while, those lungs withheld that air with no regard to the burning that erupted fairly soon. Before her vision could cloud completely, she released it. The huff was a warning to Soleil, who may have figured herself to be the only one to remain awake.

"You weren't joking, were you?" Her tone echoed in a room that had no echo. It sent a fire to Soleil's chest, eyes widening. If she pretended to stay asleep, perhaps she could avoid the whole ordeal. It was a steady plan that she chose to attempt in carrying through... Except Nina saw through her efforts seamlessly. "I know you're awake, so answer me."

Defeated, Soleil lifted her head, where she worriedly peeked over her shoulder. An alien emotion was clouding in her eyes. It was fear.

The bridge between two gaps erected at a frightening pace.

"Um... When?"

"This isn't a difficult question. Yes or no?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do."

"No I don't."

To her surprise, the conflict did not extend into simple words of disagreement. Rather, Nina rolled over, fixed a sturdy glare on her neighbor, then sighed.

That glare on her back was something Soleil could feel probing at her spine, poking each vertebrae, every joint, tickling her to the point of restlessness.

That glare, as if it wrapped a tight leash around her neck, yanked her back.

That glare met her when she too rolled over.

She began to shiver beneath the intensity, the pressure, the anxiety. Her face reddened, hiding itself in shame.

Their worlds collided.

"It's not something I can help." Somber. "I just... It's been on my mind so much lately..." Deadened. "And I know you'd never be happy to hear that. I was hoping... well... you know... that I could ignore it and push it away, but..."

Unreadable.

"I guess it was bound to happen eventually, the longer we were together..."

"N-Nina, I..." Hidden. "I want your forgiveness. I'm sorry I let myself even _think_ things would go the way I thought they would when I said that. I'm sorry I let my tongue get the best of me. I shouldn't have said what I said. I knew it would destroy our friendship and I let it slip anyway. I should've respected you more, I just..."

Silence.

An unpredictable, inescapable, entrapping silence. One part of it was comforting, another was excruciating.

"Soleil... I've been thinking... wondering, actually." Nina sighed. "If you're telling me the truth, I want to at least know what it is about me that you find attractive."

The other's eyes widened, though still branded by fear.

"Would I have the time to tell you everything before the sun comes up?" she whimpered. "I-I mean... You're cute, but that's the least of my reasons. I think you're so cool, Nina. You're always collected and thoughtful. You know how to improvise, even when your back's against the wall. You're so skilled at what you do, and your tone... your voice... It's incredible! It's incredible how you can sound so humble and intelligent and diminishing and constructive all at once! I've always avoided snarky people, but you... Something about _your_ snark reminds me that you really, _really_ care! You challenge me. You make me want to better myself! You're the first in the entire army I've felt was comfortable with me, even when we're fighting every chance we can get!" She paused to stare, wondering if she would get a reaction. Instead, her voice only calmed. "That's the reason why I wanted to come with you on this trip so badly. I wanted to make sure you were okay... Like I can't trust you in anyone else's care. I wanted to be the one by your side because I knew how much I care about you, and it's more than I've ever cared about anyone!" She froze suddenly, staring as the flush creeping across her cheeks evolved into a crimson fury. Awkwardly, her eyes darted away. "S-Sorry... Did I go overboard there? That must've made you really uncomfortable..."

The response was ambiguous, for Nina simply rolled onto her back, legs sprawled as wide as her arms. Hesitantly, her softening green eyes pondered upon the mysteries of the ceiling. There were cracks spreading across it, but they posed little threat. Even if they did, she probably wouldn't have cared. The moment captivated her so, dragging her deeper into a state of wonder.

"I think you're giving me too much credit," she replied simply as she adjusted her position. Curious, Soleil eased closer.

"How could you-"

"But it's miraculous how this is making you sincere for a change. I don't think I can remember the last time you've been so serious for an occasion that didn't involve life or death." She released a sharp breath with a smirk. "Even then, I don't know if you're serious during those kinds of occasions either. But this one, you certainly are..."

And silence followed.

Was that all Nina was going to say?

Was that her entire two cents?

It must have been, for Nina did not say a single thing more through out the night. Neither did Soleil.


	12. Confrontation and Conversion

They awoke strangely refreshed, a shocker considering the sleepless night before. Soleil beat both Nina and the sun in rousing, Nina by an hour, the sun by half of that time. While waiting for her friend, Soleil started her morning with her eternal routine, which was dressing herself in her Hoshidan garb, wiping her teeth off with a cloth, then undergoing a brief workout. Upon finishing, she sat herself in front of the window to observe the sunrise. Too bad Nina was busy snoring next to her, otherwise she would have invited her to watch.

That's when last night came to mind... and all of its infuriating memories. The embarrassment. The uneasiness. The tension. She had to shake her head to forget the soonest she could.

When Nina was awake, she started with a similar process, minus the workout. She gave way to a hefty stretch, groaned, then slouched. When their eyes met, they quickly deviated with the turn of their head. Not once did they even consider giving each other verbal acknowledgement.

The wedge was driving itself deeper between them.

The only time they resisted its force was when necessity made them, and it proved ridiculously hard for them to hold back for long. Necessity found itself within the room when Nina finished tying her last braid. Around that time, their eyes slowly migrated to their counterpart's. Their distant bodies faced each other for the longest time that morning had to offer, and the longer it went on, the more both parties wished to flee again. Even so, they clung to their integrity and waited until one would speak.

That would be Soleil.

"Good morning," she murmured a tad too late. "Um... Did you sleep well?"

Nina shrugged.

"Somewhat," she answered. "You?"

"Not bad."

"That's good."

"Yeah..."

And the conversation was dead. Just like that. It left both of them equally horrified to see something get slaughtered so brutally, to see gore spread across the ground and indelibly stain the rock. They were afraid to get near the growing puddle of blood, for it was sure to ruin their garments and skin alike. They waited until the red grew dry and crusty. Only then did they think it was safe to travel again. Their steps back were painfully cautious.

"Do you have any plans?" Soleil inquired lowly. Her body tensed in order to brace for the impact she had convinced herself was coming her way. Instead of a large impact, however, all she got was the brush of a delicate feather against the side of her cheek. Not the sort of response she was expecting, but it still left her breathless.

"I'm getting impatient with these guys." Nina crossed her arms as she spoke. "They could've let us go our own way yesterday, and yet they insisted on having us stay. We're running behind schedule, so we're going now whether they like it or not."

Soleil blinked.

"You don't think the tribe will get mad?"

"It's either this or take the chances staying here gives us. I'm not comfortable with the latter." As she rose, she motioned to their bags resting against the wall. "We have our stuff now, so there's nothing worth sticking around for. Let's get a move on while it's still somewhat early. Less people'll be out."

Soleil watched her gather her things for only a moment before she hopped onto her feet as well. Before doing anything, she first reached inside her bag to retrieve the kodachi protruding from the top. After fastening it within her clothes, she reunited with her old friend, the heavy bag.

"Whatever you say, leader." She gave her a friendly wink.

She thought it would make things friendlier at the time, but she soon realized it was a bad move, as proven by the fact that Nina strongly avoided her afterward. Regret immediately bubbled in her gut as she hung her head. Nina had things of her own to deal with, which was why she gave little attention to Soleil's condition.

Lucky for her, Soleil was able to split her mind in half. One half continued to wallow in her shame, but the other maintained utmost monitoring of her neighbor.

Her soul was just too kind.

The moment they set foot out of the hut, Nina stopped them in their tracks, the tensest Soleil had ever seen her. With worry bubbling in her bosom, her neighbor's eyes darted around in hopes of spotting the problem that had already been identified. By the time she found it, Nina had become too wrapped up in her own thoughts.

The streets of the village were empty, save for the men that ominously lingered on the tops of huts. Thanks to the sunrise, their figures were silhouettes, so any vital details were excluded from her prying eyes. The worst part of all was the fact that she could not tell if they were friend or foe. They only stood still.

As if waiting for something.

As if watching something.

As if-

"Nina!"

She would be thrown off by the hands that shoved her aside. It was a powerful motion. Urgent. Forceful. Concerned. And, of course, it was Soleil. They both fell, one from losing her balance, the other from kicking herself into such a mighty gesture.

Nina fell in time.

Soleil didn't.

But they both hit the ground.

The soonest she could, Nina scrambled onto her feet, yelling from anger originally, only for her tone to morph into that of terror. There, next to her, was her partner, who struggled to return to her feet. A javelin had driven itself into her front, lodged in the concave of her chest. She gasped for air as she drug herself upward, but her journey was short lived; she collapsed just seconds later and continued to wheeze on the ground.

Her head would be taken by a screaming neighbor, who rolled her onto her back. Their faces lined with one another's, tears raining down on the hills resting below. Crimson trickled out of the side of her mouth and pooled in the depths of her throat. She refused to let it keep her from talking, even as it escaped deeper into her chest.

"You... were... right..." she spurt along with a few globs of red. Her brows furrowed. "They're... out to... kill us... Get out... while you... still... can..."

She was too paralyzed to move, even when it was not she who was impaled. Her hands, out of panic, took her broad shoulders and shook her furiously.

"No, no, no. Don't leave me. Don't leave me like this. Come on, look at me. Focus, Soleil! Focus! Don't close your eyes! Keep them open!"

"Leave me... Get... to the... capital..."

"You know I can't do that!" Nina cried as her grip tightened. Her face buried itself in the crook of her neck, where she released a fit of wails. "Soleil, you know I can't!" When she calmed, though slightly, she continued to shiver and gasp, gradually pulling her closer. "Soleil... Why? Dammit! Why do you have to do these things?" She dared to take one brave peek. Again, she found those dulling eyes.

The happiness in the gaze that was always happy was gone, lost to the tears that slid quietly down her temples and bunched in her ears... And yet there branded a smile on her face. With what strength she had left, she brought a quivering hand upward, soon to be guided by Nina. The sole of her palm nestled perfectly over her cheek, keeping it warm. Such a sensation was so new, yet neither could feel the bubbling excitement of exploration.

"I already told you why... last... night... didn't I?" Her smile deepened. "I wouldn't... want to go... out... any other... way..."

She awoke with a frightful scream.

It was loud enough to startle her sleeping partner with a scream herself.

They screamed at each other for a few solid seconds.

The moment they were finished, their tones dying, they stared, both lost in their heavy breaths and pounding hearts. Both quivered, but for completely different reasons. Both stared in horror, but also for completely different reasons. Silence overtook them with its gentle caress, as did reason, who softly stroked their heads.

It was a miraculous feeling to suddenly have reality, sweet reality, dawn upon Nina, but it came with one price: waterworks, which promptly began spewing from her eyes. For the sake of her pride, she successfully entrapped meaningless whimpers in her throat. They burned, so she tied her mouth shut even tighter.

Soleil, while sitting on the opposite side of the bed, found that she could only watch in awe for the best part of the beginning of the event. The moonlight that made its way inside their room was the only thing that granted her the vision to see Nina cup her hands over her eyes as if burying herself in shame. For the first time in a while, she was utterly clueless, for every option available was just as ambiguous as the rest. Each was a path shrouded in fog and anonymity.

The path she took eased her closer to her weeping friend.

"Nina?" she whispered, hunching submissively with each scoot nearer. "Everything okay?"

Nina did not reply. Her silence continued until Soleil was directly in front of her, gazing with both confusion and worry. Each passing second left her craving to further their closeness, but for what felt like hours, the voice in the back of her head protested against every thought that crept into her mind.

After a while, Nina finally nodded. Soleil could not quite see her response, and it was good that Nina appeared to take that into account. Her tone, crackling and shuddering, rose out of the quiet.

"I'll... be okay." It was almost inaudible. Thanks to the night, where not a soul besides their own lingered to speak, Soleil managed to hear it. It softened her eyes as they sunk. She chose to no longer listen to the voice in the back of her head. Her arms, in a soft motion that was prepared to yield should it be their command, reached out to collect Nina's limp body. Like hours ago, Nina happened to be surprisingly lax against her hold. She even allowed Soleil's thick fingers to cruise through the waves of the locks that cascaded gracefully down her back.

"A nightmare, huh?" she murmured, bringing her palm up for another stroke of her hair. Her eyes darkened at the feeling of a nod against her chest. "Don't worry. I get 'em a lot too. Luckily, I just so happen to have a good remedy." It was a seemingly effortless move for her to rise, even with Nina in tow. Perhaps it was raw determination that drove her to cultivate such strength. Perhaps it was raw concern that led her to the center of the room, where she sat herself. Perhaps it was a combination of both.

They settled before the window, Nina would come to realize. While contemplating possible reasons, she limply obeyed to the motions her puppeteer made for her. Her strong, yet gentle, hands nestled her form into the recessive valley of her front, leaning the back of her head against her chest. There they remained.

Nina had the guts to break the silence.

"This is the remedy?" she inquired stiffly, to which Soleil nodded. She pointed to the sky. There, sprawled across the dark blanket of the night, scattered a plain of shining members, twinkling in the unison.

"The stars," she said. "Back in my Deeprealm, I'd always look at them when I wasn't feeling happy. When I was little, Dad told me of how he thought they were an inspiration. Even when things look bad for the people they're watching, the stars always stay bright and cheery. It's as if they're trying to remind us that we should always be smiling no matter what happens."

Being more down to earth on the subject, Nina eyed off to the side.

"Stars don't have feelings, you know."

"That's malarkey." She pointed to one cluster of whiteness in the sky eagerly. "Do you know any constellations? There's one right there called Ludolf, the legendary Wyvern rider. See the top star? That's his helmet, and the ones beneath it are his shoulders, spear, and boots."

Nina grew quiet, most likely to search. The silence lasted a longer time than expected, only to be ended by a subtle huff.

"I don't see it," she muttered.

"O-Oh. That's okay, I guess. You don't need to see a constellation to appreciate the beauty of the stars anyways." She cleared her throat awkwardly, then peeked over her resident's shoulder. Her position would not allow her to see much beyond the side of her jaw. "Feeling better yet?"

"Not really."

"Okay. Let's keep on looking. How about... Ooh! I think I can see Lancelot the-"

"You know, Soleil..." Nina rustled slightly at first, but those rustles, to the disappointment of she who contained her, became full-fledged struggles until she obtained her freedom from her embrace. She gathered some distance before turning around to face her again. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful or anything, but I don't think you should be holding me like that."

In the wake of such a claim... or maybe it was a demand... Soleil remained still. She retracted her legs slowly, hanging her head in shame. Or was it sadness? Disappointment? Acceptance? Not even she, one who had a reasonable grip on her emotions, could decipher herself. She knew why Nina said that, and it only went to unsteady her again with thoughts of the past... Thoughts of bad words formed in the heat of the moment, lost by the soapiness of her saliva. Regret could not well any more in her heart with what already took its vacancy.

"Right," she whispered. It was a simple response, sprinkled by the spices of unwelcoming dread. Her form hunched in attempt to hide her expression in the kindness of the shadows. "In that case... if that idea's out of the picture... we can always talk about that nightmare. Talking about things always makes it better, isn't that right? I'm always willing to listen to what you have to say. Heh... Unless it has something to do with boys..." Her attempt to crack a joke was obviously forced. Nina saw that, but that was not the only thing she saw. What she also saw was a girl furiously dodging arrows, terror in her eyes. She could not rest, not even for a second, for more continued to rain down on her. It pained Nina to continue loading that bow... which was exactly why she refused to push her aim. Out of dread, she purposefully aimed askew, hoping each shot would miss.

But she couldn't keep on missing forever, could she?

Soleil was right. Talking about things _did_ make things better, no matter how difficult it was for them.

"Soleil... We shouldn't let this destroy our friendship... or whatever it is we have going here..."

Based off her motionlessness, it was evident that Soleil knew that Nina did not discuss the nightmare. Only after a minute of painful silence did she lift her head from the darkness to allow her face to soak in the moonlight. It made her skin pale, paler than fear had left it. Her wide, curious eyes shyly darted over to her partner before quickly fleeing again. On her lap, her shivering fingers interwove themselves together. There, they clutched each other tightly. The tip of her drying tongue ran delicately over her lips.

"I want us to stay friends more than anything," she agreed. "But it's not that simple, is it? That's why I can't forgive myself for letting that slip."

"This'll only be difficult if we make it difficult, so let's talk. That nightmare doesn't matter. This is more important."

"What more is there to discuss? I poured my heart out and your feelings aren't mutual. Simple as that." Her head dipped again, but this time to bury itself in a palm. There it remained as she continued to struggle to maintain her breath at a normal pace. "What I think we need is a reset. We should just forget all about what I said. Everything. It was all a big, tired joke."

"Let's start there. What if this really _is_ a joke?" Nina replied stiffly. "I'm still having a hard time figuring out if you really _were_ serious or just making me another victim of your harassment."

Soleil's head quickly lifted again, horror spread across her face.

"What? You don't think I'm serious? Even though I just said I hate myself for saying the things I said? Even though I'm using everything within my power to brush it off as a joke? Even though I can't even _smile_ right now?" She slid further into the moonlight rashly. "Look at me! Have you ever seen me this worked up?"

To Nina's surprise, the moonlight revealed more than a forbidden, distressed expression on Soleil's face. She also had tears streaming down her cheeks. Bitter, bitter tears. Had Soleil's face, the face that always watched the light at the end of the tunnel, ever known tears?

Ever?

Nina was unsure.

"You know, I really don't get you. Sometimes you go off on an endearing monologue to a girl the same day you met her, even though you don't mean it whatsoever. It's like a sport to you. You know that. Everyone around you knows that. You know everyone around you knows that. Yet here you are now, saying the same stuff to me, someone who's known you for little over a year. Worst of all, you expect me to believe it. Really? Saying something like 'you make me want to better myself'? Don't pretend I didn't hear you say the same thing to some random girl two months ago. Do you still have the guts to blame me?"

Soleil continued to breathe, thank goodness. Her leaking eyes wandered down before her nose muttered with a sniffle.

"You're right," her voice cracked. "I've dug a hole I can't climb out of. I know I always look like I know all the right words, but when my emotions get caught up in the ordeal, I just... I can't... I can't think. I end up saying things I should've thought through. I screwed up twice tonight: first I... I accidentally said I loved you, and when you confronted me about it, I gave you all the wrong reasons. If I could start over, I'd slow down and not get wrapped up in the moment. I'd think for a change. I'd formulate everything with every ounce of care I have." She paused. "No wait. If I could start over, I wouldn't have said anything in the first place."

Her words were heavy enough to weigh the room down even more. The speaker had no idea where to go from there, but, based off the look in her eyes, the listener did. She remained quiet for the time being, as if checking her compass. It was important that she was careful to take the correct path now. One fluke could prove devastating.

"If you really meant that last note, you probably would've mentioned it first," she murmured grimly. If Soleil were watching, she would have seen that she slid closer to the stream of moonlight that divided them. When she entered into that light, Soleil did finally peer through her fingers. Upon sensing her presence, she began to cower. "I want you to be honest with me, okay? If you could start over, which would you _really_ do? Explain or keep quiet?" When Soleil's mouth opened, she immediately interrupted her. "Think about it before you say anything."

As her lips began sealing, Soleil attempted to relax. Her efforts only got her so far, seeing that her shoulders could not sink. Her breath quivered when she released a worried sigh.

"Is there a right answer here?"

"No."

"Oh..." Her eyes darted away. "In that case..."

"Look at me when you're answering."

"I-In that case, I... I would... want to try again at showing you how much I mean what I say. B-But I know it would be useless in the end. Your feet are firmly planted in your beliefs, so I'd never get what I was hoping for... Even so, it would do me well to at least get those things off my chest so I could leave it behind me."

Nina, with her eyes stern as a judge's, looked down at her cowering friend. Her frown arched as she heaved a puff of air.

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes."

"With all your heart?"

"Mmhm."

"Positive?"

"Yeah."

"No jokes whatsoever?"

"None."

"Hope to die?"

Soleil released a whimper as she compacted her form, continuing to hide her face in shame. Her hands clutched her skull tightly, tighter than she had in a long while.

"You're harassing me, Nina..." she moaned out of misery. "Please... Just stop."

Nina would have used the moment to teach Soleil a lesson. Harassing people, a sport for which Soleil happened to be infamous, was annoying. A good taste of her medicine ought to make her stop, but now clearly wasn't the time to pour some in a spoon and shove it down her throat. It was a tender moment they were living in, believe it or not. At least, that's how Nina saw it. She felt the need to have Soleil see it that way too.

That was exactly why she closed the gap that segregated them in one noiseless motion. Her nimble hands took either of Soleil's wrists to pull them away from her face. Their eyes met once again. When Soleil saw the plushness of her gaze, it distracted her enough to lower her guard and open the door to splendor.

Nina was red. Very, very red.

"I just wanted to be extra sure," she affirmed.

"Why does it matter so much?"

Her answer was beyond confusing, for, instead of any verbal explanation, Nina's fist did the talking. It whammed against Soleil's chin, causing her teeth to nearly shatter against one another. In both surprise, and sorrow, Soleil fell back while cradling her jaw with her hands. She couldn't help it. The tears returned, this time with an almighty vengeance. She wasn't crying because the blow was abnormally tenacious for one that came from Nina. No, the implications were far more dilapidating.

She reunited with her old friend: rejection. Rejection, though, was not so friendly anymore. If anything, it came as a malicious enemy craving for the red that rushed through her veins. Rejection was far more brutal here than it was in the wake of those shams she dared to call confessions given to random faces she picked up in town. It came with a hammer. It beat her into the ground until she was stuck, bound to remain until her body rotted and faded. It left her to die in the cold of winter.

Or did it?

She did not watch as Nina crawled to the side of her laying body, where she sat herself. She stared grimly down upon her face. Her eyes shut tightly, begging not to permit the exit of any tears more. Nina's gaze softened again as she heaved a sigh.

"For the record, that was for making me lose. I hate losing," she grumbled from above. "That's why it matters that you're serious. If I'm going to raise the white flag, it better be because the winner won fair and square, not by some dirty trick."

Cautious, Soleil opened her eyes again. It was a leap she did not know she had the faith to take.

"What?" she muttered. "What're you talking about? I won? What did I win?"

"This battle. This stupid argument we've been at since we first met." Nina looked away with spite. "This whole thing about boys and girls... You might be onto something..."

"Beg pardon?"

Nina traded her shyness for a groan.

"Gee! Aren't _you_ one to whine about being harassed!" she growled. "You're a real stuck up winner, you know that? Fine! I'll stop dancing around the bush just to make you happy!" Her face, once watching over Soleil like a sovereign god, dipped down to exaggerate the sincerity in her eyes. Soleil couldn't tell if it was angry or not, so she failed to conclude if she should be afraid. She wouldn't have to be. "What I'm saying is that you, by some stroke of luck, made me willing to experiment. There! Happy now?"

"I-I still don't know what you're saying!" Soleil replied worriedly, eyes widening with fright. It clearly worsened Nina's mood, which was exactly why she crossed her arms, scoffed, then retracted her face so she could look away. Spite returned.

"You really _are_ dense."

"I don't want to assume anything!" Soleil pulled herself up in a hurry to meet her eye level. "Explain what you're trying to say better so I can get the full, unbiased picture. We can't afford any more problems right now."

Nina seemed rather reluctant to give her what she wanted, as demonstrated by her resistance to gazing back at her. She stayed as she was, emotionally distant, but her intensity was dying. Her eyes, once shut smugly, opened again to stare off to the side. They were a window to her soul, and her soul was in a faraway land with her mind. The longer they were away, the rosier her cheeks grew, and the calmer the room became.

Soon enough, it was as peaceful as the night once again.

"If you really meant what you said... about wanting to have another shot at proving your word to me..." She worked up the courage to look one last time. Her gaze oozed with many emotions... confused emotions. "I'm willing to give you that second chance."

Soleil found nothing within her capacity to respond, for deep down, she knew the whole thing was a joke. A jab in return for every sort of humor she made in the past. It was also possible that Nina thought she was still joking, and she was joking in return. The situation was far too unrealistic to be happening.

That was the moment of which she had the sweetest of dreams and the most horrific of nightmares.

Here it was, and Nina was turning it into a sick joke.

That sadistic side she inherited from Niles was finally making its debut.

Though that should have driven Soleil to fury, it only drove her to sorrow.

Her head hung again.

"As if," she scoffed. "You've always been dead set on proving girls liking girls is bad. Why the change of heart?"

"I've only believed it because it's what I've been taught all my life. Maybe this is one of those things that isn't bad after all... people just haven't realized it yet."

"Wow. Sounds like you've been doing a lot of thinking lately." It was the first time Soleil sounded so angrily sarcastic. It was unnatural. The listener took that into account and added it to the equation of where to wander from there. Her formula was rough and unpolished, but she was certain it would work. The thought of putting it into action, however, made warmth bubble in her gut.

That warmth grew stronger as she drew closer.

And closer.

And closer.

And closer.

Until finally, she arrived, pressing against her destination. Said destination was far too wrapped up in both spite and bewilderment to react in time to stop- or assist- their lips from grazing over one another. It was no accident, for she could feel that Nina was very much in control of herself.

It was planned.

Nina did it on purpose.

Oh, and she was just as soft as she imagined, soft enough to almost feel weightless. She was warm beyond the compare of any winter's fire against her. The flattery of her faith on her sturdiness for support sent both chills and hot flashes up and down her spine. Instinct, or longing perhaps, brought her thick arms to her torso, where she wrapped them. It was an embrace that was gentle, yet firm.

Any time they parted was too soon, but they did not bother to reunite. What they did do, however, was keep their faces near enough to rub the tips of their noses together. They were mutual in quivering, but that didn't stop either from gradually creeping closer. Any ounce of bitterness that remained within Soleil dissipated in an instant.

"I _have_ been doing a lot of thinking, thank you," Nina muttered. Soleil shivered when the warmth of her breath collided with her aching chin. "It's probably what gave me that nightmare. So. Listen up. Now that you know I'm serious, here's the compromise I'm willing to make with you. Assuming the Wind Tribe doesn't string us up, I'll give you all of tomorrow to show how much you mean what you said. Just one day only. When that day's up, I'll use some time to decide if I liked it or not."

Soleil's eyes had sauntered into a state of euphoria. If she dabbled any deeper, she would have missed Nina's message entirely. Before responding, her hands traveled up from behind her back to stroke her cascade of locks tenderly. Lavish marked each and every movement.

"One day..." she echoed thoughtfully. "I think that's enough time."

"But we have to promise something." Return did Nina's ever grim stare. It was enough to yank Soleil out of a captivating mire, even if it were just a little bit. "If this somehow doesn't work out, we have to swear we'll restore the relationship we had beforehand at all costs. It doesn't matter what happens between us tomorrow; we'll go straight back to being friends. It's not because we're going to forget about it, no, we're just going to treat it exactly as it should be treated: experimentation. If you don't think you could handle me not liking the experience in the end, we should ditch this idea right now."

"Of course I can handle it." Soleil smiled again. There it was. All was right with the world again. "Above anything, you'll always be my friend."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

Satisfied, Nina pulled away from her face. It disheartened Soleil at first, but it wasn't for long, for her thumb took its place to wipe away a stray tear from her cheek. Thereafter, Nina treated her with a tender smile back.

"Good," she sighed. "I guess we'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings."

"H-Hey... Nina?"

"Yes?"

"I know this may be asking a bit much, but... Can we start this thing a bit early?"

"How early?"

"Like... _now,_ early."

It wasn't a surprise to see that question arrive; anyone with a reasonable sense of intuition could see it coming. Such was why, after brief contemplation, Nina gave in with a huff.

"I guess."

She was almost cut off by a pair of lips. It surprised her at first, but, of course, time in the warmth that returned between them made her melt back into the embrace. Not even the slightest bit of exhaustion from the day could contain the excitement in Soleil, but that didn't make it completely unstoppable. At Nina's command, which urged that they gather their rest, they returned to the pallet on the floor.

Their night ended with the moon watching the two settle beneath the covers, tangled in one another's embrace.


	13. The One Day

Who could blame Nina for being mildly concerned when she came to in the morning? She awoke, having forgotten where she was and why. As far as her mind was concerned, she knew herself to be back with the army, hoping to catch a few extra z's before someone barged into her tent to shake her awake. The longer she began to rouse, however, the more aware she became. One of the important things she noticed were the arms wrapped around her torso. At first, the sight startled her, but that was before she rolled her eyes.

Today was that day.

The one day.

When her eyelids unveiled her vision, she was met by the sight of Soleil. To be more detailed, Soleil's face, whose smooth skin bathed in the morning sunlight. She was still asleep, snoring up a storm, but her motions seemed to convince her otherwise. She pulled her closer, took a concentrated breath from her nose, then released a sigh. It was a content sigh. Nothing new for Soleil, but the dialect was by far the most pleasant Nina had heard from her. It was shortly afterward when her eyes slid open as well, revealing deep brown orbs. Thick was the euphoria that swam within that brown. It wasn't a side effect of rousing, seeing that it did not lose its viscosity as she spent time observing her.

Without a word, but a smile, Soleil slithered closer until their faces were deathly close. There, she planted a note of affection on the bottom of her lip. When she finished, she did not pull away.

"Good morning..." She narrowed her eyes slyly. "My _darling_ Nina." Like her eyes, her tone was thick too, borderline amorous. The sudden change in mood had a blush emerge onto her listener's cheeks.

"G-Good morning," she began awkwardly. "Erm... _Soleil_..."

"Heh. You're cute in the morning, did you know that?" One hand traveled to the back of Nina's neck, where she gently took a cluster of muscle to begin soothing it. Oddly enough, it was a cluster of muscles that just so happened to be in deep need of a nice rub. It was reasonable to wonder where Soleil could have possibly cultivated such intuition in the practice. "You must've slept well since you're not stiff in too many places."

Sighing, Nina shrugged.

"No more nightmares, if that counts as good sleep," she said, leaning in to broaden the range of her masseur's palm. "Except someone kept waking me up..."

"Really? Who was it?"

"You know who it was."

"No I don't."

"Yes you do."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Not."

"Do."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Silence would not find a home between them for long; Soleil released a chuckle before it could kill the momentum of their conversation.

"Okay. What was I doing?"

"Nothing big... Just kissing and singing to me in your sleep. Do I need to demonstrate how irritating it was?" She rolled out of her temporary lover's embrace to land on her back, where she sprawled her arms, prepared to recite. _"Oh, Nina, Nina; I love you so. For you, to the fiery depths I'd go. Your skin, so soft, so sweet... How kind of fate to have us meet. For you, love, my loyalty knows no bounds; barren of your touch means my mind no sound. Have I the permission to caress either m-"_

"Oh. Oh oh oh. You were awake to hear that... and you memorized it too." She was red suddenly, looking away. "I thought you were asleep when I was practicing. I was going to serenade you with that sometime today, but it looks like there's been a slight change of plans..." She raised her brows then after slapping a charming grin on her face. "So? Did you like it?"

Blinking, Nina stared up to the ceiling. Based off the look of her face, she evidently considered her answer with care.

"Well... Poetry could be a strong suit of yours, but that's it. Poetry. Not singing."

A half compliment was better than a complete insult. Soleil was willing to live with that sort of feedback.

Time was pressing, pressing enough to have the two feel it beginning to close in on them. It was the pressure that commanded them to gather their things the soonest they could and prepare to leave. It was worth mentioning that Nina was prejudice upon stepping out of the hut they had been lent, but her worries were ultimately, and graciously, for naught. The moment they set foot into the village, they found it buzzing with as much life as it had the day before. While standing in the midst of the chaos of everybody's business, the two remained as they were for a while, puzzled as to where to go.

Nina suggested that they simply left without any sort of notice. The Wind Tribe already knew they were spies, so it was not as if they were being devious. Soleil did not disagree with the plan, so they went their own way after observing the compass. Northwest had them walking away, hand in hand.

Their journey out of captivity did not live for long, for along their path, they eventually ran into an alarming sight. In the midst of the road that would spew them out of the village stood Fuga. His mighty arms were stiffly crossed over his chest, and a frown of old decorated his aging expression. Even after being noticed by the two, he remained still, allowing the many oblivious civilians to pass him by. He motioned for them to come closer, which they, especially Nina, were hesitant to obey. Even worse on her, Soleil looked to her for answers.

"What should we do?" she inquired.

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't you know?"

"I don't know!"

They paused when Fuga took matters into his own hands, for he slowly began making his way toward them. The thin crowd that gathered in the streets parted to make a way for him as they continued with their own affairs. The stoic face that remained stamped on his expression made Nina tense, then make a movement backward that invited Soleil to follow. However, instead of doing so, Soleil only gave her hand a brief, reassuring squeeze.

"Maybe he just wants to bid us farewell. I mean, he doesn't _look_ like he means any trouble..." She grinned. "Besides, you have nothing to worry about. I'll beat him up for you if he tries to hurt us."

"That's what I'm afraid of." With the roll of her eyes, Nina growled through her teeth. Reluctant, she returned to Soleil's side, unable to bring herself to break their union. She became tense with each step nearer Fuga grew, but, like the worry she experienced upon setting foot outside their hut, it was for naught.

"Salutations," muttered Fuga with a bow. "Did you enjoy your stay in our guest hut?"

Nina and Soleil exchanged glances. Both asked who was to respond. Since Soleil wasn't talking, Nina felt that the obligation fell upon her. As she slid her hand out of the warmth of Soleil's, she shuffled forward to reply with a bow herself.

"W-We did. Thank you for the hospitality."

"The food was good too."

"Yes... The food was good."

"Except that stuff with the beans and daikons. It wasn't all that great."

"Yeah, except the-" Nina paused, horror sweeping across her face as she turned to her neighbor. "Soleil! That was rude!"

Though he seemed like the type to take offense, Fuga sounded with a rumble that built itself within the depths of his throat. It was laughter, they would soon come to find out. A gentle laughter.

"I see. Your western tongues are not quite used to our eastern cuisine," he commented while shaking his head. "Fear not. We, as mere humans, do not favor the things that are strange to us." When he returned his gaze to them, he breathed in the passing breeze with delight. "I suppose the two of you are hurrying out of our humble village? You must have a deadline by which you are to reach Hoshido's capital."

Nina, with a blink, nodded sharply.

"Y-Yeah... A deadline... That's a good way to put it..." She cocked her head to the side timidly. "So if you would, uh, let us go... that'd be great."

"Of course, but first..." Fuga looked up, but not at them. Instead, he peered over their shoulders to watch someone coming down the road. It was a horse, they would discover when they too directed their gaze the same way. Upon him rode a small, but decorated, boy. Attached to his saddle was a cart housing only a bed of hay. When the steed arrived to their side, his rider looked down at the two of them, dipped his head to the man, then cleared his throat.

"Hello, Chieftain," he greeted respectfully before turning to Soleil and Nina. When their eyes met, his face stiffened slightly. It was a detail Soleil did not see, but Nina definitely did. "Are these the two I am to guide on their journey?"

With a nod, Fuga smiled slightly.

"Indeed," he replied. When he returned to the two girls, he quickly addressed their confusion. "If you have a deadline, I must apologize for wasting your precious time by keeping you here. To compensate, I offer you one of my finest warriors, Hayato, who shall take you as far as he can before the sun goes to rest."

Again, the two looked back to Hayato, who remained on his horse. When their eyes met again, he raised a brow condescendingly. The smug air contrasted greatly with his smooth, round cheeks, unblemished skin, skinny arms, and small stature. The sight drew a snort out of Soleil.

"Your finest warrior? This tiny thing?" she giggled as she drew close to the horse. When she took one of his feet to chuckle at its size, Hayato began to furiously wrestle.

"Chieftain Fuga does not have a joking personality, so you'd best take his word for truth!" he exclaimed angrily. Amongst the conflict, Nina dropped a brow as she turned back to Fuga.

"You're giving us a _ride?_ " she asked before crossing her arms. "What's the catch?"

"Not a thing at all," replied Fuga humbly. "The elders and I had an intense discussion through the night. They have come to the conclusion that you are headed to Hoshido by the order of he who wields the legendary Yato. Am I correct?"

Nina was taken back. There those elders go again, knowing things they had no way of knowing. It was useless to try keeping secrets around the people of the Wind Tribe. She had to thank her lucky stars she didn't live anywhere near them.

"Um... Yeah. His name is Corrin."

"That, friend, is why I have chosen to offer my resources to support your cause. Legend has sworn that whoever the Yato chooses shall be the one who brings the end to bitter war. Though I love Hoshido, I also have friendly affiliations in Nohr. More than anything, I do not want there to be a victor to this conflict. What I do want is for there to be peace." He took another deep breath. "If the wielder has willed that you get to Hoshido, I will provide my utmost assistance so that he may prevail."

Quiet, the girl remained hesitant before lowering her gaze.

"The speed would certainly help..." she considered lightly, only to be stopped when Soleil eagerly clasped her hand again. When she looked, she saw her presenting the cart tied to the steed.

"What's not to like about the offer? It'll be like the hayrides they have at home!" Before Nina could agree, or object, she led her to their ride. Wordless, Nina followed her gestures, one of which offered her hand to assist her upon the cart. It wasn't too far off the ground, the cart, but Soleil insisted that she helped her up anyway.

The deal they made kept Nina from refusing the offer.

At last, things were finally going their direction, both could say with joy. Riding in the backseat of the vehicle made their travels become nothing but easy. They not only traveled quickly, they traveled comfortably. The hay, whatever breed it was, happened to be oddly soft and seldom poked them in places they'd rather not be poked. Away from the village they became, returning to the vast wasteland that surrounded it. Hayato, steering at the front, held possession of the map and compass at the moment, and was expertly navigating their way through.

Soleil and Nina had to do one _awful, repugnant, tedious,_ and _exhausting_ job to do: lay down and relax.

It hadn't been long before they took to the sport. When they did, they were almost immediate masters, bound to strike fear in any competition they faced. They normally _would_ be each other's competition, but today wasn't the day for that. Today was that one day. That one day was theirs to seize, and, quite frankly, there was no better day for it. Soleil saw that they had more than a dozen plethoras' worth of time to do whatever the heck she pleased, but she was mindful to use her time efficiently.

It was no accident that their bags of equipment happened to be above their heads. It was Soleil's doing, for she figured that, from Hayato's angle from his horse in front of them, their faces would be concealed. Even so, that, and the fact that Hayato wasn't likely to be checking on them too many times, wasn't enough to set Soleil at ease. She was a thorough individual, and a thorough individual stopped at nothing to be comfortable. That is why, after a while of basking in the sun and the lovely zephyrs sweeping across the land, she brought herself up to sit, where she began shedding her top. Her movement awakened Nina, who once dozed off at her side. Initially, she was flustered to watch her, but that was before she was reminded of an undershirt.

When Soleil plopped back down, burying her head in the straw, her white top found itself over their heads. The sun was bright enough to sink through its stitches, but not hot enough to continue buffeting them with its heat. When she rolled on her side, Soleil found Nina staring at her oddly. She simply dismissed the situation with a:

"I'd hate to see your pretty pale skin get sunburned, so here's a cover for you." Such a sentence would only be followed by Nina's brow, which raised quickly.

"Right... I suppose your arms aren't as important?" she inquired. Her word had merit, for it was the skin surrounding Soleil's healing wound and everything else beneath it that became the sun's new victim. Having noticed that, the girl released a snicker.

"Alright, you got me," she said before pecking her nose quickly. "I want to use every minute I have today, not waste it worrying if the kid sees us."

From ahead, though faint, Hayato cleared his throat.

"I heard that."

Soleil flinched, but soon recovered.

"Oh, snap." She lowered her tone. "He has those sharp ears kids have too." When she paused, she waited for Hayato to comment again. He didn't, and Soleil took that as a sign that she had reached a decibel not even his sharp ears could pick. Now, the thorough Soleil was completely within the snug walls of her comfort zone, and it would be a while until someone, or some _thing_ , could invade them. She slid closer to her partner before stealing another kiss. "Liking the way things are turning out? What were the chances of getting a ride?"

"Slim," Nina sighed. "I'm thankful nonetheless. We should use this time to catch some shut eye so we can keep on traveling some hours after dark."

"Mm, I'd love that, but..." She knew she was in for an earful when Soleil grinned again. "I only have so much time, so I want to make every moment count. By the way..." She leaned in closer to reach Nina's ear. She started with a whisper that tickled her sensitive skin. Nina had to admit that she did feel her spine crawl with a wave of goosebumps. "What I had in mind for tonight may not get us any sleep at all..." The fact that her tone didn't follow with a chuckle left Nina's cheeks fiery. Before she lost herself to embarrassment, she shuddered.

"Just remember this: I may have a few boundaries to draw."

"Aw, that wasn't part of the deal."

"It is now."

"No fair."

"Too bad."

They paused. Somehow, the air remained lighthearted, which invited a few mutual chuckles. By now, both were red as could be, easing closer. When their conversation died, they were finally nestled against each other. Though it was warm just outside the cover of Soleil's garment, they pressed against one another comfortably.

"Alright, you win," Soleil caved while retrieving the cluster of muscle she had tended to earlier that morning. "But so you know, I'm going to find those boundaries and see how far I can push them without getting in trouble."

Nina was delayed by a hiss when she happened to pinch a peak spot.

"You won't get as far as you'd hope," she challenged.

"Oh, we'll see."

She displayed her mastery when, once again, she scouted her skin to squeeze that bundle once more. Before long, her hands almost became whips, a slaveowner's whips, for she had Nina wrapped tightly around her fingers. She mewled at every sweet spot, and it was then she began to realize that her masseur was teasing her. Nina's motions, such as the movement of the shoulder blade that attempted to elevate her hand back onto the site, begged her to return. The gesture was just like Nina. Her pride was too great to possibly allow her to lift her head and simply ask Soleil of what she wanted. In the end, Soleil did humor the spot Nina was subliminally suggesting, but it took time for them to get to that point.

They remained beneath their makeshift cover for the span of a few solid hours, only emerging to take the canteen from one of their bags. After pulling it out, Soleil turned to Nina, gave her a devious smile, then shook it around. Based on the way Nina looked at her, she could comfortably assume she waited for her to take a drink and have a turn herself. Soleil did not want things to be that simple.

"Can I pour some in your mouth?" she inquired playfully, which made Nina scowl. Against her hopefulness, she snatched the bottle from her hand and began roughly undoing the cap.

"No way! I'm not your infant." She took a swig before handing it back to her. Soleil released a disappointed groan, but drowned it in water shortly afterward. When they were done refreshing themselves, they humbly offered a drink to their chauffeur, Hayato, who promptly responded with a shake of the head.

"In my warrior training, I was taught how to efficiently preserve the water that is being retained and used by my body. I've mastered the ability to go weeks without so much as a drop, so a few hours is _child's play._ " Both could silently agree that the way he strained "child's play" came off to them as annoying. They chose to ignore him and return to the safety of their cover.

When they peeked out after what felt like a while of relaxation, they found that their surroundings had morphed from an unforgiving desert to familiar cliques of trees. Their leaves were turning unnatural colors, they noticed. The crisp evening wind, along with the trees, foreshadowed an impending autumn. It was the least of Hayato's concern, for he lived far into the heart of the desert, where season had no authority. The most he was worried about was the sun that was sinking behind them. Where the path deposited into the desert gave a perfect window to watch the sky turn orange, and it was that lovely sight Soleil relieved their cover for. The two became still against each other and quietly observed, both wordless.

The sky was almost a deep shade of blue by the time Hayato demanded for his horse to pause. The sudden change in pace awoke the two, once slipping into a light state of slumber. Nina was the first to lift her head from Soleil's chest, her groggy eyes scanning their surroundings. By that time, Hayato slid off the saddle and worked his way around the cart. He bowed subtly.

"Chieftain Fuga tasked me to take you as far as I could before the sun completely sets. When it is down, I am to return to the village. The time I relieve you of my responsibility is now, as the darkness will set itself upon us in a matter of minutes."

While rising, Soleil took in a yawn, stretched her hefty arms, then spied upon him deviously.

"Thanks for the ride, kid."

"I could easily tie you two to the cart and take you back with me," he snapped back, irritated.

"Right, right. Sorry, I forgot you're a bad sport..."

After a brief inventory check in their bags and through the hay, Nina and Soleil leapt out of the cart, confident they left not a thing behind. Soleil was the foremost to have her feet kiss the earth, and, once balanced, offered a submissive hand to assist her follower. Hayato watched while raising a brow.

"You must have a lame foot if you need help getting down from something that low," he commented to Nina. Before she could respond to defend, or whatever she was to do before an insult, herself, Soleil jumped in with a snicker.

"You'll understand when you're older."

"Very well so, then." He crossed his meatless arms to broaden his small shoulders, huffing in the meantime. "A little ways down this road, you will find the village of Kiso. It is a humble settlement with fair prices on their goods and lodges. Since the elders predicted a chilly draft to pass by the continent tonight, I heavily advise making use of their offerings." An eye peeked open "I didn't have to tell you that, by the way."

With yet another grin, Soleil reached out, pat him on the head, then began to ruffle his hair. She stopped when he began demanding it.

"Aw, aren't you sweet? Thank you."

"Your gratitude will be delivered to the Chieftain," Hayato replied as he began fixing his head. He maintained a spiteful gaze upon her despite his tone. Just a moment later, he reached into his satchel to retrieve a folded map. He returned it to Nina, upon whom he did not stare with as much prejudice. "Until then, I beseech you make a safe journey. May the spirits guide you to make the correct decisions."

Nina sighed slightly. What little stress she had bottled within her eased away.

"Thanks. You too," she replied.

It was with that, Hayato returned to his horse, where he climbed aboard. A simple heel to the stomach had them galloping into the darkness, leaving the two behind.


	14. The One Night

Regardless of the occasion, Laslow always lived up to his mother; he danced. He danced when he was happy. He danced when he was sad. He danced when he was angry. He danced when he was tired. He danced when he was invigorated.

And most of all: he danced when he was scared.

Laslow was not willing to lie about being scared, even if it meant he could cover his anxieties to wear the front of confidence. Confidence looked so much more appealing than fear, he had learned, for it was golden and adorned with pearls and diamonds. However, time taught him that confidence was a heavy piece of jewelry. It would weigh him down and leave him no room, nor energy, to experience moments of true glee. He would much rather deal with the ugliness of weakness than be a phony.

That was why he danced so much slower than usual beneath the moon. Laslow always danced slow when he was anxious, and he practiced in the most secluded place he could uncover. Seldom had any roused such a time of night, much less put forth the effort to find him. That was with the exception of his wife, who probably thought he was off doing _other_ things in the dead of night. That was why he went to lengths to hide himself so he could rehearse in peace and quiet.

The silence was his friend in the dark. It allowed him to hum a slow, steady tune his mother had taught him. He wasn't the best singer, unlike someone such as Shigure, but his tone was soft enough to have his voice pass as soothing. His graceful feet played the part of the somber metronome, for they beat against the grassy earth harmoniously. His arms, like a pair of spineless snakes, flowed along with his melody, just as slow. They curled over his head, caressed either side of his torso as they slid upward, and fanned their proud fingers into wide tongues that licked the air. He was a mesmerizing sight, but no audience could possibly slip into the state of mind in which he slipped. He found peace, even in the face of the most threatening giant.

It was a bad time for him to have a visitor, who he did not imagine to catch him. Laslow was so confident in his hiding place that he had slipped into the realm of oblivion. Little could pull him from his state of mind. The rustles of boots meeting grass could not rouse him, nor the brushing aside of a branch. Said visitor would not be detected for a long while, even as he trudged his way into the clearing, a ballroom in the relaxed eyes of the performer, and crossed his arms. A gentle clear of the throat finally yanked him out of his trance.

"You're not dancing as well as you usually do. Something must be weighing you down." The speaker smiled maniacally when, at last, Laslow halted to have his eyes bolt open. While coloring, he whipped around, trading his graceful fluidity with unwelcoming stiffness. His stance did not retire, even when he soon discovered the identity of his visitor: a tall man decked in dark clothing, skin golden. Over an eye was a menacing patch that hid a costly injury.

"Ah, good to see you, Niles." He sort of lied; there wasn't exactly such a thing as an individual that was _enthusiastic_ to receive Niles. "You've found me in my most secret place, I see..."

"It didn't take much to find it. Next time, try going somewhere a little less expected. The privacy of a washroom would do nicely, but only if you're willing to risk others thinking you're doing something _else_ while you're in there," Niles chuckled as he eased closer. "So, I've been meaning to speak with you, seeing that our daughters have sewed some sort of relation between us."

"Seems quite clear based on your tone." Laslow sighed and attempted to hide his redness by turning his face away from the lantern in the center of the clearing. "How can I help a fellow comrade?"

"It's about those girls of ours," he replied quickly. "Lord Leo told me that I might be able to find peace of mind if I'm given further details on who's responsible for Nina, so I'd like to know more about this daughter of yours."

Laslow's expression, once tense, melted into a prideful smile, which spread across his face until he was chuckling.

"My darling Soleil, eh?" he echoed. "If you want a proper picture of my darling Soleil, look no further than myself; she nearly qualifies as my doppelgänger, that girl. She wants to be just like me, and, since she can be an observant pair of eyes when she deems the prize worth the trouble, she does a fine job at taking after me."

Niles remained still as his mouth sunk into a neutral frown. His single eye stared at his clearing expression thoroughly.

"So she's almost exactly like you..."

"With a handful of quirks of her own, yes."

"Hmph. I guess it _could_ be worse."

"Now, now," Laslow piped defensively. "I assure you: my Soleil is a good, strong girl. She can be impulsive and immature at times, yes, but I can't think of a single girl her age that isn't. I am scared out of my wits for her, having her run off the way she did, but I am still confident she will pull through. She can be smart and proactive when she needs to be. I've seen this enough times to become faithful in her."

Niles nodded.

"Uh-huh... Heard she's got her share of problems too. Rumor has it she harassed a girl to the point of tears."

"E-Erm... Yes, she did, and I had a thorough talk with her afterward..." He sighed again. "As skilled as she may be, she does have her weaknesses, but more than anything, I..." His lips closed as his gaze wandered to the ground. It was a hesitant motion, painful and slow. "More than anything, I believe it's just because she's confused."

Soleil was confused. Not just in Laslow's sense.

A few hours of rejuvenation allowed the two to happily continue on for a few hours into the darkness, guided by the charitable moon. They were persistent in their walking, even when they were tempted to stop a few times. What kept them on their toes was the occasional critter that scampered across their path. Though alarmed at first, they ended up laughing at one another's frightened squeaks. Their faithfulness eventually delivered them to a source of light: the village of Kiso, as fabled by the departed Hayato. Upon catching eye of a distant glow, they became eager, and their pace suddenly quickened. While the two sped closer, Soleil reached out and pat her partner on the shoulder, grinning.

"I'll race you there," she proposed. Without warning, Nina quickly nodded.

"Okay." And she sprinted off, leaving her opponent in her wake. While laughing, Soleil clumsily hurried after her. Whether she ran or not, it was unlikely she was to catch up.

"That's not fair, you cheater!"

"Last one to the entrance has to carry the other's bag!"

"Now that's _really_ not fair!"

As any reasonable person could predict, it was Nina who first trotted up to where the road was lined with cobblestone. As she slowed, she hunched to catch her breath and whip away a bead of sweat that gathered on her forehead. She cracked a conceded smile, then turned to watch her follower breathlessly thump after her. Each of her foot steps were heavy and labored, as was her breath. She hunched upon arrival with a gaping mouth.

"Beat you at your own game," Nina mentioned proudly, which made Soleil's head sink further.

"Yeah, yeah..." She brought herself up to begin relieving Nina's back of her bag. While throwing it on top of her own load, she crept closer. "Can I have a pity reward for at least trying? Pretty please?" The inquiry made Nina scoff, but later offer her hand. Without a moment to spare, Soleil gladly rejoined their fingers to lace them into fabric, just as they had been the majority of the day. "Aw, I always knew you were really sweet deep down. You have a soft spot for things you think are pitiful, don't you?" She brought their joined fist to her lips. On the roof of Nina's palm, she planted a kiss. "Sometimes I think you're too much for me to handle."

"If I'm too much to handle, I guess we should call off this experimentation thing. I'd hate for you to lose control of yourself."

Suddenly, as if she had regained her energy, Soleil's posture straightened as she released a quick laugh.

"Ha! No, no, no, I'm fine. I was just kidding. I can totally handle you." Her grasp on her palm tightened lovingly. "Come on. Let's get to finding that tavern the Wind Tribe kid was talking about. Just you wait 'till I get you alone."

Unknown to either of them, it was Soleil's final statement that added to the tension between them. It wasn't a negative, combative sort of tension, such as that between Nohr and Hoshido. If anything, it was a healthy dose of amorous tension that both were much too afraid to bother voicing to one another, even though they both acknowledged and identified its presence. Even Soleil, who seemed so shameless on such a matter, had to admit that she trembled at the thought.

The two ended up wandering around town. It was a sleepy community, perhaps because it bathed in the light of the moon. The torch posts were the most that they saw as they curiously roamed about, those being besides the few that scampered across streets. The largest party they came across was a woman leading a parade of children while toting bags of groceries. All other signs of life could be found in the windows of buildings, glowing the same color as the golden torches. The majority of the vendors were closed, so told the many empty tents in what seemed to be a commercial district. For such a humble village, it was quite large.

Their aimless searching sooner or later landed them before a modest building, arguably two or three stories tall. Its construction material, wood, corresponded well with the abodes that surrounded it, but what made it stand out the most was the sign standing before its porch. Upon closer examination, old paint on the brink of chipping read the words: _"Kiso Public House and Beanery"_. Not the most creative of names, both could agree, but it didn't drive them away from giving their business.

As if fate itself heard their wonderings, which asked where Kiso's inhabitants were, their questions were answered. Shoving the door ajar would have both surprised to be greeted by the sounds of conversation and the warmth of a crowd. Further investigation showed them that the lobby, seeming to double as a dining hall, was jammed with the rowdiness of what was mostly men. Almost immediately, against anything she wanted, Nina colored. To soften the impact of her struggles, Soleil was reddening too, but that was thanks to the heat circulating throughout the room.

Hand in hand, the two trudged their way cautiously through the room, pacifistically keeping their heads low to avoid any contact with fellow customers. Some, based off their slurred exclamations and nonsensical words, were under the influence of alcohol. The rest, those around the drunk, worked to hold their friends steady. It took doing, but the two eventually emerged from the crowd and appeared at the front desk, where there only worked a flustered woman. She was middle aged, branded by hardships, and unfriendly in appearance. The way she scrutinized the two upon arrival made them pause.

"Hi there." Soleil spoke up first with a smile. "We'd like to rent a room for the night."

The woman narrowed her eyes.

"Two silver marks." Her voice was raspy and burdened.

"Not bad." She turned to Nina before lowering her tone. "Do you want to eat here too?"

"We don't have a choice. All that's in our bags is the cured meat," she replied. Her palm departed from hers to reach into a satchel and retrieve her coin purse. In the meantime, she lifted her head to glance at the clerk. "How much does food cost?"

"Three bronze marks for one serving. You eat whatever we give you."

"Really? I thought people order things at a-"

"You ain't a queen. Everything we serve is edible. Take it or leave it."

It didn't seem as though they had much room to make other decisions, but three bronze marks seemed fair for a meal. Hayato was correct when he said prices were gentler in Kiso, especially in comparison to a place like Izumo. After forking over everything they owed in exchange for a key, the two ended up sitting at a low table (upon exchanging whatever knowledge they had over such a piece, they came to the conclusion that it was one of those "kotatsus" people like Mozu mentioned times in the past) in a dark, somewhat stuffy, corner. The stuffy air lingering in such a corner, if they drew close enough, could be modified into a romantic air. Soleil put changing it at the top of her priority list until they were snugly against one another. To their fortune, they did not have an audience.

"I hope they don't give us anything bad," was the most she could sigh after stretching an arm over Nina's shoulder.

Shrugging, Nina nestled herself inside the concave of the inside of her ribs, and her head pressed softly against the sturdiness, yet mellowness, of her chest.

"Food's food in the end. We'll have to eat whatever we get whether we like it or not unless we want to be hungry." A hand then returned to her satchel to revive the map, which she unfolded. "Where would you say we are now? I'd guess right about here in this countryside. If I'm right, we're close to Fort Jinya. Looks like I'll have to start thinking about our approach."

"I think you're working too hard." With a charming grin, she brushed aside a bang that slipped into Nina's face. "You know, you can always vent any frustrations on me. I can shoulder a few burdens if it makes you feel better."

Before Nina could respond, a group in the midst of the room bust into a fit of thundering laughter. It was loud enough to hinder their conversation to a halt. The moment it died down, however, Nina quickly cleared her throat. She had plenty of time to contemplate her response.

"There's a lot I have to think about. Corrin left all the judging work to me while we're within enemy walls, the bare minimum being that we return with patrol and class details. I am responsible for everything else, so I'm suddenly in charge of deciding if I think something is important enough to write down." She closed her eyes tightly. "We're going to be in for a difficult time in there. We'll have to stay at least a week or so for me to record any patterns, and the longer we stay, the more risk we take at getting caught. It'll be difficult to explain ourselves if some soldiers happen to find us, even with our disguises."

"Hm. That does make sense..." Soleil leaned closer. Her face became sincere all of a sudden. It was a soft, sweet, and gentle sort of sincere, an expression that caught Nina beyond off guard. After a pair of blinks, she willingly stared back, and time made her stare attempt to mimic that of Soleil's. It was so warm and inviting, yet hinting at something far less shallow. A fascinating specimen, especially coming from her. Nina couldn't feel anything but inspired to show her the same in return for the gift of such a comforted emotion.

"What is it?" she finally asked after staring for too long.

"Just looking at you. You have such a cute face." The warmth deepened as she brought her other hand up to run the utmost tips of her fingers across the smooth pale skin of a cheek. "That cute face shouldn't be hardened by business so much."

"I can't help it if that's the way I am."

"Then just this once: leave it somewhere else today. No, give it to me. Let me show you everything I want to show you tonight. It'll be all the better if you have a clear mind."

Sighing, Nina rolled her eyes.

"What do you have planned to show me?"

"The physical nature of my love." The way she answered was the most sincere her voice had become, and it was laced with the thick syrup of sensuality. It was kind. Gentle as it was innocent, if such a thing were possible.

"Really? Hugs and kisses aren't enough for you?"

"It's not that hugs and kisses aren't enough for _me_ , it's that I think hugs and kisses aren't enough for _you._ "

"Oh, turning this on me now?"

"Mmhm." The free hand then began to gently tour her body, avoiding key domains. She did that on purpose, of course, but not out of modesty. It was a tease the tension made a delicacy, a means by which they could grow closer and closer until the swelling skin on their lips was almost brushing against one another. Their nerves plunged into insanity when the stroking, the teasing, the thickness, kept them from instantly locking into another union. When they were about to seal the pact, they were roughly brought out of the sensation when the inn keeper came by and dropped a tray of plates onto the surface of the table.

Almost immediately, the two parted from one another, eyes wide and cheeks red. It was too late, for the woman was already staring at them in the midst of the rowdiness surrounding them. With her hands on her hips, her face narrowed into a scowl. She released a sigh as she threatened to turn away.

"You girls're weird."

Thanks to Soleil's bold claims made hours earlier that day, it made sense for either of them to grow awkward when they settled in their room. While Soleil went to set down her bag, Nina made sure the door behind them was locked. When they both finished either task, which did not consume horribly much of their time, they turned to glance at one another.

Just as the night before, their worlds, and their thoughts, saw the same destination and were making slight movements to get there. Though neither exchanged any sort of plan, they knew what the other was thinking. The thought itself was more than enough to paint both of their faces red and have their eyes dart away. It wasn't because they were mad or scared of one another. No, they were simply over come by the power of anxiety.

For many minutes more, miraculously, they remained perfectly still. Every once in a while, the two, unbeknownst to the other, felt their gaze wander over to the bed that stole the most of the room. Quickly afterward, however, they averted their gaze once again. To say anything would ruin the moment, a moment they didn't know if they wanted to ruin. It was awkward, but most definitely alluring, mysterious, and new. A new world was theirs to explore, a new world to explore while they were on a journey exploring the world. All the tension, the air of inexperience and interest... it softly invited them to urge closer. Soon, that invitation became stronger.

"So... um..." Even Soleil found herself quivering before the force of anxiety. It was a flustering smear of her image. If she had known Nina wasn't paying quite as much attention to her as she thought, she wouldn't have gotten herself so worked up about it. "Did you want to take a bath first or..."

Continuing to flush, Nina's eyes set themselves upon her briefly. They didn't flee again because she was afraid. Instead, it was because she knew that it was time to begin migrating. Like geese, they both did, stiff and frightened, but drawn intensely. Against what her neighbor thought she was to do, Nina immediately plopped down on the mattress, laying across it horizontally. Her legs hung off the side as she rolled onto her hip.

"I'll leave it up to you," she muttered softly as she sunk into the ocean of the blankets. They consumed her, so Soleil went in for the rescue. What she got instead, however, was herself dragged into the bog as well. She too landed on the bed, sideways, swallowed by the warmth. When she got on her side too, her back was turned to her back.

There, while watching the flickering of a candle, the two stayed that way. The goldenness of the room, until one was bound to eventually speak, kept them company in the meantime. Every little detail stood out to them all of a sudden. Why was that? It was because, for them, the world's turning finally slowed to a crawl. Every minute was worth an hour. Every detail became intricate and intimate. Every breath, sight, sound, touch... They tingled their senses amazingly so. It was as if their skin had grown wrinkles, and time was suddenly an abundance for both of them. Their wisdom ran deeper than the ocean's most treacherous of abysses.

It was odd. For someone who was so urgent on making the most of her day, the one day, Soleil found herself succumbing to the paralysis of the deadly combination of both fear and eagerness. Her quaking hands began grappling at the quilt beneath her, just the same as Nina, who remained laying just behind her. A drying tongue departed from the cave of her mouth to briefly dash over the hills of her lips as she grew brave enough to roll over.

"I'm...g-going to start over... in a sense, I guess..." she began while bringing her incompetent palms to her back. There, she took one of Nina's lengthy twin braids and proceeded to gently slide its holder out of place. The amount of time, so intimate, she spent undoing every fold was excruciatingly long. The thought that she applied to it could only be supported by such a diet, and before long, it became costly, for it did not to any other favors, not even soothe their anxieties. "Nina..." she sounded upon completing the final strand. It was then she saw green eyes peeking over her shoulders, hinting at the intention of rolling to face her as well. "I truly do love you. With every ounce of my heart, that is. We make great friends, no matter how much we argue. In fact, I think it's the arguments that bond us. With each one, our friendship grows stronger... and I remember Dad once told me: the most important person in your life, your love, should also be your best friend. I laughed at the time because you were the first person to come to mind. Nina, my best friend, the one who didn't push me away nearly as much as the others, but the rivalrous boy maniac, a lover? I thought it was crazy at the time. I'd trained my mind not to think of you the way it thought about all the other girls I looked at, but with time... With time those thoughts started to become around more and more often. I didn't know what to think. Wouldn't it be betraying the bond we had by giving into those feelings? I thought so, so I tried to push them away. I couldn't write them off as jokes anymore because I realized how real my affections were growing for you. How serious... How precious... It was miserable to want something I couldn't have. I wanted to keep your friendship, and yet I also wanted your affections. I had to only choose one or lose it all. But it looks like things've begun to change, haven't they? I have the opportunity to show you, so I want to give it everything I've got." She eased closer. "Nina... I want to use this time to show you my affections, both emotionally and physically. I want you to at least know. To feel. I want nothing but the best for you, so I'm going to give you my best."

Nina did turn around, visibly impressed through the thickness of her embarrassment and awkwardness. She tried to muster a slight chuckle, only succeeding with the addition of a crack in her voice.

"Well..." she contemplated. "You were right when you said you need time to think these things over. That sounded pretty customized. Good job." Wordlessly then, she drew closer until she was nestled against the fabric covering Soleil's upper chest. With her face darkening into mahogany, Soleil welcomed her with her arms and, with her visitor inside, closed the gates on her back.

"Th-Thanks." She grinned sheepishly.

Their conversation was the well needed cure for their awkwardness. They took unrealistically well to the air that sprouted in the wake of its desolation: affection. It grew thicker by the second, particularly so as Soleil buried her face in the crook of her partner's neck. There, she compacted their embrace until there was almost no space separating them whatsoever. Like pieces of a puzzle, their bodies conformed to the other's until they were perfectly linked in a long, amorous union with their lips. Such a union lasted far longer than any they had shared thus far, and it was by far the most passionate.

One kicked off her shoes when she felt the other do the same. From there, Soleil budged. She rose to roll over and set herself atop her partner. Once settled comfortably, they reunited with one another again. Upon parting, dominance turned timid suddenly, and she became hesitant to further any actions.

"Where were those boundaries you were talking about?" she inquired softly. Her response was the shake of a reddening head.

"Don't worry about them. Do whatever you need and I'll tell you if it's something I don't like." She tried to smile at her. "I think I can trust your judgment."

Her words reddened her face further as she looked a ways away. For the moment, to ease her anxieties, she snickered again.

"You're good at flattering people," she said lightheartedly. The sudden happiness had her butt their heads gently, then reach up to entangle her fingers in her wavy locks. As she dipped her head to nuzzle against her, that same hand began to embark a journey down her body. One hand took Nina's so that they could lace their fingers together. The other finally arrived upon the clothes that covered her stomach, which she worked up to allow the tips of her fingers to creep inside. The skin was as soft as expected under there, spotless as it was smooth. A note of affection would be displayed by giving her partner a brief squeeze of the hand.

Once working her hand away from her stomach, Soleil snaked her arm around her torso slowly. Her hand gently caressed its new roof: the spine running down Nina's back. When that spine arched into the conforming concave of her belly, they pulled into another abundant embrace. From Soleil's nostrils came a warm sigh that traveled down into the crook of Nina's neck. They squirmed slightly until they were both settled comfortably.

But then, out of the blue, Soleil's eyes, in the cover of Nina's blindspot, widened. She began to quiver as though a phantom hushed words of death into her prone ears. She suddenly seemed awful. Not just uncomfortable, but desperate. In attempt to relieve the sudden spike in desperation, she lifted her head to stare down at Nina. She stared back before long, and the two were once more in a heated staring match. It wasn't long before Nina began taking note of the darkness clouding in her partner's eyes.

"You don't look too good. Something wrong?"

Whatever it was, Soleil masked it with a smile.

"Not at all." She set herself down by plopping next to her, though still remaining close. Both hands retreated from their respective positions. The sight clearly left Nina in a state of uneasiness, especially as she watched Soleil attempt to avoid her gaze. "You know? I think we should just talk tonight. Talking's always good, isn't it?"

Nina, bewildered, stared at her a few seconds more before finally narrowing her eyes.

"I don't believe you."

"D-Don't believe what?"

"Are you chickening out? I thought this was something you wanted."

Her eyes darted away nervously.

"Chickening out? Me? No way! I just don't think we're ready for this yet. Our relationship is too premature for stuff like this sort of intimacy. We should take it nice and slow."

Cracking a smile, Nina scoffed.

"So you _are_ chickening out."

"A-Are not!"

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are."

"Not."

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Yes."

A crude silence erupted between them, and it was anything but welcoming. Soleil reddened again, as if she hadn't reddened enough, but for reasons more than embarrassment. What Nina couldn't tell, miraculously, was that Soleil fought a bloody battle against the forces of tears.

"Look, Soleil... If you're really having second thoughts about this, you don't have to be ashamed. I'm not going to be mad at you... much, anyway... so there's no need to hide anything."

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Quiet, I know you are. If you want to tell me what it is, I'm all ears. If you don't, then fine. Just don't expect anything good to come out of it."

Heavy words coming from Nina, she acknowledged. They were why Soleil averted her eyes.

"I-I just need some more time to think," she muttered. The statement had Nina reach into one of her satchels and fish out her compass. That obviously wasn't what she wanted, so she stuffed it back in there until she exchanged it for the shiny pocket watch. She opened it at once to observe its tellings, which eventually had her scowl.

"You only have about two hours left until midnight. The day'll be over then."

She figured Soleil would find a way to cram all the content she had in mind in a measly pair of hours. She always managed to pull off feats such as those. She was quick, but intimate and intricate, in her work. For as long as she knew her, she had always been that way, and she most likely wouldn't leave her skill to rust.

Except Soleil failed to respond to Nina. She remained still, gazing blankly at the ceiling while being held captive by deep, dark thoughts.

When half of their remaining time passed them by without any notice, Nina gave up on waiting for her. She shifted slightly so that she could reach the candle on the nightstand neighboring them. There, with a whisper of her breath, she forced the room into darkness.

"Goodnight, Soleil," was the most she could say before departing into the land of dreams. It was a good thing Nina's attention wasn't present, for when enough time passed, Soleil raised a bloody flag. It was once white, so shamefully white, and never considered an option.

She rolled over to silently weep herself into slumber.


	15. Adventures in Fort Jinya

The following day, Nina and Soleil carried on normally as though the day before never happened. Being a pair of girls, the achievement was worthy of all the awe it could receive. Only the power of a god could have possibly arranged for such a miracle and make it somehow work...

For the time it did, at least.

Long did their path to their next destination seem, but it passed them by as quickly as a horse could thunder across a plain. Soleil and Nina were chipper, upbeat, and friendly, especially the former, who constantly cracked jokes or tried to create an activity to pass the time. One such activity had her pick up a stone, toss it up in the air, then kick it down the road with the roof of her foot. Too late did she realize that she wasn't wearing her boots, and too late did she realize that she should have pulled her foot out of the way. The stone did go soaring across their path, but at the expense of a groan at its kicker. She stopped her walking to furiously shake her foot with a chorus of whines, balancing on her better foot. Nina watched the event play out stoically, but she eventually grew a smirk.

Instead of kicking it with the tops of their feet, the two settled with kicking the stone back in forth with the soles of their thongs. When one reached the stone on the ground, they were to push it further, where it fell upon the other to be obligated to hit it next. The pattern continued for a while until they got tired and abandoned it on the side of the road.

It was lucky that they grew tired of the activity in time for noises to come into their ears. It traveled from behind, as if a force maliciously planned to blindside them. Nina was the first to take notice, which made her the first to rotate and see what was coming. Fear momentarily took her heart captive, for the sound was a myriad of other sounds: the clicking of horse hooves on the rocky ground, the squealing wheels of buggies, chatter, and... the picking of humble strings? Nina's fears of an oncoming division of the Hoshidan army dissipated as she motioned for Soleil to pause.

When they both looked, they found a herd prowling their way. It was a surprising group they saw, for it wasn't uniform, yet was. It wasn't hostile, yet they felt threatened. Their fears would be worthless, they soon realized, for the closer the herd drew, the better look they could give it. Their visitor was a long parade of people, humble folk no different than themselves. The majority, such as a few kids, women, and teenagers, were dressed in ragged clothes. Each wagon was drawn by powerful, and rugged, steeds, who released an occasional bray. Some of the steeds tugged their owners, while others hauled tons of supplies. Such supplies contained piles of produce, clothing packed compactly within crates, humble pieces of wearing furniture, sheets of aging lumber, and several bundles of gardening tools.

Based on the way every member of the band, including the women, had calloused hands, peeling (and filthy) skin, and countless tan lines and freckles, it was no difficult task to conclude that what they saw was a migrating village. The parade was a size worth reckoning, for the line seemed to stretch to lengths reminiscent of the army at home. The sight had them marvel with curiosity.

"Good day!" called a voice suddenly, drawing their attention. When they looked, they found a man passing them from the inside of a wagon. He must have been the source of the music that was mingling with all the ruckus, for in his lap was a koto over which he thoughtlessly ran his fingers. Knowing Soleil would follow, Nina trotted up to the starboard side of his cart, where she greeted him with a bow as she walked.

"Good day to you as well." She took the time to study the man now that she was closer. He was middle aged, she'd guess, but still seemed lively. Similar to Soleil, his eyes were wide and bubbly as though nothing in life brought him down. He was a bit more on the heavy side, but a healthy sort of heavy. He was most certainly built like a man. "What's going on here?"

"The war is what's going on," the man replied after a quick riff of his instrument. "Our village has heard of all the dastardly things the Nohrians do to places like ours. Rumor has it their army is just now emerging from Kitsune territory, so they're getting awful close to home. If they found our village along their march, they'll steal all our women, children, and crops for their personal gain. We can't have that happening, so we've packed everything we own, even the wood that made our houses, to take up on Emperor Ryoma's generous offer: he's allowing us common folk within the walls of the capital for protection."

"Praise Emperor Ryoma!" another called in the distance.

"Praise Emperor Ryoma!"

"Praise Emperor Ryoma!"

The sudden chorus had the two jump in surprise, which withdrew a laugh from the musical man.

"My apologies. Our village is deeply fond of our new emperor. He is just, fair, and sympathetic, so we can't help but cheer at the mere mention of his name. Heh. Watch." He lifted his head to overlook his fellow crowd and simply uttered, "Emperor Ryoma."

"Praise Emperor Ryoma!" a voice followed shortly after.

"Praise Emperor Ryoma!"

"Praise Emperor Ryoma!"

Amused, Nina and Soleil allowed their eyes to wander... until the latter released a wolf whistle.

"Yeah, y'all sound like a bunch of fans. I can see why. I've heard Emperor Ryoma is a pretty cool guy."

"Praise Emperor Ryoma!"

"Wielder of the heavenly Raijinto!"

"Seeker of justice!"

"Long may he live!"

Nina felt her eyes narrow.

"Um... They don't do that _every_ time they hear _Emperor Ryoma,_ do they?"

"Emperor Ryoma!"

"Praise our Emperor Ryoma!"

"Okay, I guess so."

"Yes! Emperor Ryoma!"

The cheering drew to a halt when the man, once again, ran his fingers along the strings of his koto, except his playings morphed into what was evidently a song, for he repeated certain chords. Based on the way he looked at them with a charismatic grin, Nina and Soleil were supposed to be familiar with the melody. The unfortunate thing was they _didn't_ know the song, even when the parade's voices, weak, large, deep, and high, gathered to harmonize with lyrics.

 _"May the reign of the Emperor_

 _continue for a thousand, nay, eight thousand generations_

 _and for the eternity that it takes_

 _for small pebbles to grow into a great rock_

 _and become covered with moss."_

Nina and Soleil made pitiful attempts to sing along with them, though stumbling in lyrics. When some words were long and spaced out, they were able to catch on and finish off the note, then go back to being confused. Thankfully, it was a short song, and the voices combined together were loud enough to make it seem that Soleil and Nina were just another tone in the crowd.

At least that was what they thought.

When the song ended with one final chord, the crowd exclaimed,

 _"Long stand Hoshido, Land of the Divine!"_

With a humble chuckle, the man released his strings and eyed the two continuing at the side of his cart. While running a hand over his balding head, he sighed.

"Nothing beats a good round of Hoshido's soul song, except I must say, young lady..." He happened to eye Soleil. "Your singing doesn't quite live up to the expectations your hearty voice would promise. What do you say to a few singing lessons?"

Reddening, Soleil briefly eyed her surroundings.

"Singing lessons?" she echoed. "I tried that once, but it didn't go so well..."

"Even the most awful of voices have fallen to my teachings. My many decades' worth of being a songster should be enough proof."

Questioningly, the two girls then exchanged looks. Soleil was the first to lead her throat and whisper.

"Well?"

"They did say they were headed to the capital..." Nina mused before turning to the man. "By any chance, would your party happen to be passing by Fort Jinya? We've heard rumors that now is a good time for merchants there since the soldiers are desperate for any sort of luxury."

The man lowered a brow.

"Well, if you are a pair of experienced merchants, you should know how to answer that for yourself. This is the main road we're on, and it forks near the fort. One road leads to Fort Jinya, the other to the capital. For you not to know, you two must be on your first outing in the country. What poor time for two beautiful young ladies to be out, illiterate to the terrain! I insist that you two join us until we meet with that fork. I'd hate for anything to happen because you chose to be at the mercy of your own judgement."

Another brief exchange between the two had them silently trade their opinions. Both appeared to think the same thing, which was exactly why Nina turned back to the man with a nod.

"You're kind, sir. We'll take up on the offer."

"What good news!" He lifted his koto from his lap so he could stand. The moment he was on his feet, he offered a hand down to either of them. "Allow me to also offer the comfort of my wagon. You first ma'am... Alley-oop! And you, my new student... Hurg! You're heavier... than I thought you'd be..."

Settling in the man's cart didn't take long, for it was spacious. He did not carry much with him, which would lead them to believe it was all he owned. It was either that or it was what he treasured the most. His treasures weren't noteworthy, as it only consisted of a shoddy desk, a crippling rocking chair, and a few end tables. The rest of his carryings, a mattress of blankets, was where they settled.

They came to learn that the man's name was Takeshi, the village's beloved songster. He had a wife that died two years ago, and the aforementioned rocking chair was all she left behind. The information made the fact that the chair was heavily secured make more sense.

When they were asked, Nina gave their names, but with a few alterations. She was careful not to make the same mistake she made in the Wind Tribe's territory, and it was a stroke of mere luck that they were friendly to Nohrians. A group of patriotic Hoshidan villagers may not be as sparing to their presence. They might even skewer them instead of simply driving them from their parade. Fearing the worst would come from two foreign names, Nina introduced she and Soleil as Mozu and Midori, respectively. It did not seem to tickle the man's suspicions, as he received the information with a smile as he expressed his willingness to welcome them.

For the next few hours, Nina had to put up with the awful session that took place beside her, which would be Soleil and Takeshi's singing. Takeshi had a much gentler voice in comparison to other men she had listened to (which was many), but it wasn't quite as mellow as Shigure's. That didn't mean it wasn't worthy of competition. But no matter how much of a pleasure it was to listen to Takeshi hum and sound his words, Soleil broke the entire experience.

There was no hope for her whatsoever.

Though surrounded by strangers from an opposing country, Nina found that the exhaustion from the night before (which no longer existed) caught up to her. At Soleil's side, she ended up dozing off. She was assured that if anything were to go wrong, Soleil was to make sure nothing would happen to either of them.

Through her sleep, which was light and easily broken, she could hear the two speak.

"Let's try singing _'Land of the Rising Sun'_ , now, why don't we? The higher notes may be easier for you to hit."

"I have no idea how that song goes."

"Oh? You don't? And you're a Hoshidan citizen?"

"My mom and dad were, but they raised me in Izumo."

"Very well. I'd be more than happy to teach you. It goes like this: _la, la la, laaaa, la la la, la laaa..._ Now you try."

 _"Lo, lo lou, laaaw, lo la le, la looow..."_

The cracking of her voice pulled Nina out of her slumber, which was never deep to begin with. Her eyes slid open groggily, and she gave her neighbor a dirty look. Soleil didn't notice it, for she was far more focused on the feedback of her teacher. Takeshi seemed too dazed to give her an immediate response, so he filled the time by violating his ear with a pinky. He blinked awkwardly.

"Well.. um..."

"What'd you think, teacher?"

"I'm starting to believe you might shine in other songs. Don't worry, I'm determined to find that groove you'll fit in. Let's do a different song. How about _'Awakening in Her Shrine'_. That is one of the most popular songs in all the nation."

"Funny enough, I don't know that one either."

"Oh. Okay... Let me teach you..."

Every passerby happened to look upon the musical cart strangely before weaving their way further. About midday, one man lingered to lend an ear to a handful of songs, and he most certainly caught Nina's eye. He was a tall young man, no elder than a half a hand's worth of years than herself, and rode by himself on an unburdened steed. What fine hair he had, Nina observed! It was so black, thick, and wavy. She could feel its density without having to run her fingers through its perfect locks. She couldn't help herself from gawking as he came about, rode at their side, and watched. When her observations came to his attention, he awkwardly motioned for his horse to ride elsewhere.

The entire ride was a relaxing shift in their pace. They traveled far quicker than they would have on foot, and the people were quite friendly. They were so friendly, in fact, they had the hospitality to share their food. It was an enjoyable experience, watching the trees pass them by as they munched on a peach. The fruit was exceptionally ripe, almost to the point of being inedible. Luckily, it was just ripe enough to balance on perfection.

Both of them, after interacting with the people, felt guilty before long.

Though highly prejudice and prideful, Hoshidans were gentle people. They uplifted their own kind, stuck up for one another, and always made sure their neighbor was nurtured. In a sense, they were no different than the poorer people of Nohr, who treated each other essentially the same.

Two breeds of people, all so alike, were torn apart by the bitterness of war.

Soleil and Nina were almost ashamed to take part in it.

Nonetheless, their loyalty to those back home, such as their mothers, fathers, and friends, maintained the integrity that was starting to erode. In order to sharpen one another, the two began confiding shortly after Takeshi relieved Soleil of her classes to take a nap (neither said so, but they knew he wanted to take a nap so he could escape the realization that he had found a student not even he could mold into greatness). Nina and Soleil migrated to the back of the cart, where they consistently checked to make sure they did not have an audience. The ruckus of horses, chatting, and singing, they were reassured, covered any sort of whisper exchanged, so much to the point where they had to bring their mouth to the other's ear just so they could hear. What the other had to say most definitely evoked an era of thoughtfulness, as proven by how often a pause roused to occupy their silence.

Soon, they ended up taking turns when it came to resting. One would remain awake while the other drifted to a slight state of slumber against the other, and when an hour or so passed, they exchanged responsibilities. By the time the sun threatened to set, it was Nina's turn for the third time that day... and she promptly fell back asleep. That wasn't solely because she was still groggy from her turn, for Takeshi's koto had its share of blame. With no obvious intentions to tire her further, he played a soft, gentle melody that drug her eyelids shut once again. Against Soleil, she relaxed and joined the sweet oblivion of slumber.

Long did they seem to remain, leaning against one another and breathing softly. They were a calming sight, despite any laughs or cheers in the immediate area. They were tranquil because they had no dreams. Even if they did have dreams, it was uncertain as to what they envisioned, for their faces were stoic and unyielding. There were few to wonder, much less intrude.

Besides Takeshi, of course.

When the moon rose, he crawled up to the pair. Soleil was the first to awaken and receive him almost as soon as he arrived. He saw her eyes glow in the darkness, prejudice at first, but eventually lightening. Gently, the man nodded.

"Good evening," he greeted. "I just came to tell you and your friend it's time to split. We will be passing the fork very soon, so I suggest readying yourselves early." It took little to awaken Nina, especially with the incentive the man just relayed. In the dark, she and Soleil quickly prepared their bags, checking to make sure everything was where it should have been. To their relief, there was nothing wrong... at least as far as they could tell. Takeshi was glad to turn to them one last time when the lantern hanging from the front of his cart lit a branch from the main path. He motioned toward it insistently. "Fort Jinya is just a ways down there. Be careful. Rumor has it they're cautious folk over there."

Muttering words of gratitude, the two didn't hesitate to leap off the slow-moving wagon. Nina hit the ground finely, but Soleil stumbled upon landing. Lucky for her, Nina remained to give her a hand in assisting her to her feet. They exited the parade by weaving through a few floats more and scrambling ahead of a horse, soon emerging to meet the side of the road. Just a ways to their right was their designated path, once unoccupied, but now housing a party of two.

They settled a little ways into the path when they found a nice cluster of bushes that provided a decent spot to hide. Having been filled to the brim with peaches, the two didn't bother discussing, or eating, dinner. It was a fortunate thing, as building a fire would likely attract unwanted investigators from their destination. Almost immediately upon arrival, the two settled and prepared to return to sleeping. The following day, Nina predicted, would have loads of busy work, so energy was a much needed resource.

Unfortunately, Nina was correct.

When the sun rose, she and Soleil continued onward until they came across an interesting landmark: a mighty edifice crafted from stone. Sticks used for torches lined all along its outermost walls, unlit due to the beating rays of the sun. Along the crown of that wall lined many fierce, seemingly seasoned, archers. The thicket hid them from their surveying eyes, but not just their surveying eyes. The thicket also hid them from the squadrons that toured its exterior. Each squadron consisted of either five or six. Some were armed with spears, others hefty clubs and menacing katanas. Their uniform came off to them as strikingly elite.

It was going to be a frightful endeavor, but the confidence that remained on Nina's face was all it took to make them willing to face the challenge head on.

Thus marked day one.

Nina spent the whole day camping in the bushes, doing exactly what she did best: spying. Checking of the pocket watch as time droned on became common place, for each time a squadron passed by the area they were currently scrutinizing, she recorded the hour and headcount. While it was easy for her to sit patiently and wait in between passings, which was ridiculously long, Soleil was a different story. She was energetic, so it was a challenge to keep herself still. Or quiet, for that matter. Once or twice throughout the day in segregated occurrences, Soleil began whistling... only to be shoved into silence when an elbow drove into her gut. The day went well, for it left them with multiple notes, scribbled in Nina's piggish handwriting, within the bindings of a journal. When it came time to eat dinner, they distanced themselves thoroughly from the fort, put an arrow through any creature they could find, and cooked. With neither being talented when it came to cooking, their dinner was as bland as dirt.

Day two and three.

Soleil and Nina ended up repeating the aforementioned process in hopes of finding a consistency in the patterns of the patrols. Lucky for them, there was a daily occurrence to which their enemies abided as if it were a sort of intense religion. At five o'clock in the morning, a group of five came about, Nina recorded. Within the group, two wielded a blade, presumably of silver. Another lugged a spiked club speckled with fading crimson. The other two both had naginatas, but they were two different species. One had an interesting curve to the tip of its blade, and the other had a shield built into its handle. The group toured around the fort three times before lending the shift to a gang of samurai that arrived by ten. Within the group, each wielded the same type of wakizashi. From there, it became apparent that the two parties took turns patrolling for an approximated five hours each. It was a successful outing to finally retrieve such information.

Day four.

Nina led Soleil around the fort at a distance so she could scribble a sketch of the layout. Fort Jinya was complicated in its simplicity on the outside, so she was sure to take note of anything that captured her curiosity. The exterior was shaped in a circle, but its rear was guarded by a maze of levees. The exterior, Nina guesstimated, stretched around sixty cubits wide. The walls, guesstimated again, were most likely twenty cubits tall. It was an intimidating climb (for fall), she noted.

Day five.

Nina spent the day finishing her blueprints of the fort's walls, preparing its insides to be filled with divisions. It was an easy day that did not require much physical activity besides doing a fleeting reexamination to make sure her work was accurate. While carrying on with her business in the midst of the bushes, laying on her belly, Nina ran a stick of charcoal every which way over the pages of her notebook. Soleil, who was supposed to be on the look out, eventually retracted her head from the outside of the bushes, turned to Nina, and released a bored sigh.

"You wouldn't happen to have a spare pencil, would you?" she inquired hopefully, drawing Nina's head from her reports. Almost immediately, she narrowed her eyes.

"A few, yes. What's it to you?"

"I wanna draw something."

"You don't need to."

"I know. That's why I said I _want_ to."

"Why?"

"Because it's boring sitting here staring at nothing all day. Can't I have some down time?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"I said no."

"Pretty, _pretty_ please?" Soleil knew just how to put on the perfect face for the situation. It was pitiful, mirroring a hungry kitten or pup of sorts, for her pupils inflated to a precise radius. The sight had Nina scowl, growl, then shove her hand into one of her satchels. It returned with a lightly used pencil, which she handed to her in addition to a page she ripped from her journal.

"Fine, but that sheet's the only one you're getting. There's no telling how much paper I'll need, and since it's a vital part in getting this information home, we need to conserve it."

Satisfied, Soleil turned back around.

"Thank you," she singsonged.

"Just be sure to check our surroundings every once in a while."

"Mmhm. Okay." It was obvious Soleil stopped listening, for she had already engrossed herself in the art of... well, art. Staying true to Nina's word, she was especially conservative when it came to doodling, for she gave her ramblings pressing apartments. Each doodle was frightfully close to the other, some even overlapping. Such drawings consisted of what was to be expected from Soleil: the faces of kittens she knew how to imitate so frightfully well, mighty swords clashing against one another, several bubbly hearts around puppy dogs and stick figures with lengthy threshes, and her dancing father, who she added in the very corner. The opposite side of the page, however, was where she wasn't so mindful. If anything, she splurged on a single, seemingly ultimate, drawing that she thought deserved the most room she could give it. It didn't take her horribly long to plot it upon the sheet, for it was a simple design that required no more than a handful of strokes from her pencil. Once finished, she withdrew her face, once so close to ensure intricacy, to marvel upon her handiwork. Just moments later, she felt the need to share, not even bothering to bring the opposite, more detailed, side of the page to attention.

When the paper was handed to her, Nina set down her own pencil to look at it. The sight didn't seem to affect her much at first, but that was before crimson suddenly decided to settle across her cheeks.

"What do you think?" asked the artist who sought approval.

"W-Well, it's, um..." Nina cleared her throat. "Definitely not a vague puzzle like one of Shigure's paintings..." It wasn't anything like Shigure's paintings indeed, for the drawing was ridiculously simple. It was of two humans built by boney arms, legs, and torsos, but with chipper expressions. Both characters were female, which was made evident by their long hair. One's was loose and down, spiked at its tips, and the other had hers bound in intricate braids, which were represented by conjoining orbs. Each had an arm extended to the other, where their hands mended into a friendly union. Sprouting between their heads was nothing but a simple, but swollen, heart. Sighing, Nina handed the art back to its creator. "Look, Soleil... I told you I was going to think about this whole relationship thing later, didn't I? Now isn't the time for me to be worrying about it, so it won't be on my mind for a while."

"Oh, no, no. I'm not rushing you to make a decision." Softness in her eyes, Soleil marveled her work once more. "I'm just reminding you that I love you."

"Um... Thanks..."

It was a mystery that Soleil somehow neglected something that seemed so important to her. The drawing, by the end of the day, was forgotten in one of the bushes that surrounded their camp when they packed up and prepared to depart from the presence of Fort Jinya.

Their timing was ill.

Long into the night, after the two settled a ways from the fort to whip up a tasteless dinner, a gang of guards happened to tour a little further from the exterior than usual. A man, leading the squadron with a lantern in his hands, felt his eyes narrow when they happened to pass by the thicket. He raised his hand, which had his followers immediately draw to a halt and unsheathe their weapons. There was no apparent threat to them in the area. Instead of trying to engage with anything, he simply approached a clique of bushes. Its leaves entangled something he didn't recognize. Something white.

"Commander," voiced one of the followers. "Is there an issue?"

"I wouldn't say so..." the commander replied as he drew closer. Upon arrival, he took the article into his hands with prejudice. "This just happened to catch my eye."

One departed from the crowd to position himself at the commander's side, where they both stared at what he held. It was a sheet of paper, so they saw, with many tattoos of charcoal. One side was filled with multiple drawings. Such drawings consisted of the faces of kittens, mighty swords clashing against one another, several bubbly hearts around puppy dogs and stick figures with lengthy threshes, and a man who danced in the very corner. The opposite side depicted two girls, standing hand in hand between a swollen heart.

Upon laying eyes on such a mysterious piece, the two men felt their noses wrinkle.

"Curious," the soldier commented to his superior.

"Curious indeed," the commander grumbled back. He gained a free hand by loaning his lantern to his neighbor. Now that they were free, his fingers gently ran along the etchings. When they departed and returned to the eyes of their master, they were covered in blackness. "It's been written in charcoal."

"A western utensil. I haven't heard of a single Hoshidan that wouldn't use a brush and ink."

"Precisely. Nohrians must have passed through here. The only reason a Nohrian would be in Hoshido would be for military purposes... Spies, most likely. This must be reported as soon as possible so we can make defensive countermeasures sooner."

The man beside him, with a worried expression, turned his gaze to his face.

"Pardon me, commander, but do you truly believe Nohrian spies are responsible for this? Look at these drawings. They're childish. Our enemies are inferior to our intelligence, but they are not fools. They would never send someone so immature to do such an important task."

"Would you rather believe that or have regrets later?" asked the commander as he reclaimed his light. "Little does it matter what the drawings contain. They are proof of the presence of someone who is not friend. Let us make haste."

With no arguments, the group followed the commander back to the secure walls of Fort Jinya.


	16. Divergence at the Top

It was unknown to Nina that, when they retired for the night after a long day of scouting, Soleil was always the last to fall asleep. Soleil spent each day without a care in the world, but the night was the key to a different side of her. A far more solemn side. Often, she rose from laying on the ground, took her head in her palm, and released a sigh. When she turned to the side, she found Nina laying next to her. It was no coincidence that Nina chose to sleep on her hip so that her back would be turned on her neighbor.

It was all the communication Soleil needed to get the message.

They said they would forget about that one day and that one night if things failed to work out, but nothing was going to be left behind... Not even the one-eighty Soleil decided to pull.

Soleil remained awake each night to wallow, to rise to her feet and wander a little ways from camp until she reached a place where she could not be seen or heard. It was what she dreaded all her life, being alone. Suddenly, it offered the most comfort.

The sun stole the sight, just as it stole the night.

One morning, to Soleil's surprise, Nina was not insistent to awaken at all. Soleil was grateful at first, having been exhausted by the umpteenth sleepless night in a row, but the relief soon turned into questioning. She knew better than to keep calm when something was amiss. She rolled over, and Nina's back was there to greet her. For a moment, just a moment, Soleil felt a twinge erupt in her chest.

She found herself conflicted; a part of her wanted to shake Nina awake so she could ask, but another part forbade her from setting even a finger on any part of her body. Any form of touch made heat swell in her bosom. Not a comforting sort of heat. Instead, it was the maliciousness of a feral wildfire she could not control.

To touch her again...

It would remind her of her agony.

She could not do it.

Soleil resorted to giving her partner a far-from-intimate kick on the calf, which immediately had her release a groggy moan.

"What..." she sounded deeply.

"It's morning, y'know. Aren't you going to get up and threaten to read me your stories to me if I don't get up too?"

With a flop, Nina found herself on her back. Soleil fought not to chuckle at the dirt caked across the side of her face.

"Didn't I already tell you we aren't doing any work in the day anymore? Or were you just not listening to me again?"

Soleil paused, allowing her eyes to widen with bewilderment.

"Really? When did you say that?"

"Yesterday."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did. I said we're going in the fort tonight."

Ever since, sleep escaped from Soleil.

The fort.

Going in the fort.

It was a thought she found much too frightening. How could Nina sleep so soundly when she knew they were going into the fort in just a handful of measly hours?

Multiple times did Soleil want to confide with Nina, hoping to talk her out of such an asinine plan. After all, getting a report on Fort Jinya was not absolutely necessary, was it? All Corrin wanted was for them to get to Castle Shirasagi, gather some information on Hoshido's military, and scamper right on back to the army. Why was Nina going out of her way to mess around at a stupid little fort?

She did not know, nor did she believe she was to find out. Nina needed her rest for the night, and so did she, whether she liked to admit it or not. After several hours of struggling, Soleil barely slipped into a light slumber, but it seemed as though the moment she closed her eyes, she felt a hand on her shoulder. It commanded her to awaken.

Oddly enough, she did not feel as exhausted as she expected, even though the sleep felt awfully short. When her eyelids allowed her vision to prevail, she was met by the inkiness of night. For a moment, she did not even know where she was, but when she turned, the memories flowed back to her.

She found Nina fiddling with the lantern in the moonlight. However, Nina seemed to think that the moon did not give them enough light, for she set the wick ablaze, warming the camp with a golden light. Upon finishing, she nudged the lantern to the side and set herself on the ground.

And they stared.

"Are we going?" Soleil asked, hinting at nervousness with a slight tremble in her voice. She threatened to rise and sit as well, but that was when Nina suddenly shook her head. The sight surprised Soleil enough to render her motionless, especially as she started to draw closer.

"No, I wasn't telling the truth," she replied. "But I did want us to have energy for tonight." Before Soleil could even reply, most likely with a question, Nina brought a hand to her cheek, where she cupped it softly. While blushing, Soleil's eyes widened. She stammered her name, but was interrupted when Nina leaned down to plant a gentle kiss on her lips. The motion was fleeting, as it fled from her just moments after it landed. "Did you want to try again?"

"B-But... I th-thought you said... you weren't going to worry about this r-right now."

"Answer me. Do you want to have another shot?"

They both became still, staring into the other's eyes. Nina's were surprisingly gentle, sincere in every respect, and calm. She was the most confident person in the world.

Soleil, on the other hand, was not as sure how to react besides trying to rise from laying. Instead, she was only shoved back down by an insistent hand. She sounded with a grunt when her back slammed against the ground, but it hurt little. What hurt was the way Nina's palm felt against her chest. How hard it pressed against her. How its weight threatened to crush her ribs and puncture her lungs with the cragged ends of her broken bones.

In reality, it was nowhere near as dramatic as Soleil made it out to be.

She was nearly speechless nonetheless.

"Of course I want a second chance," she whispered. To compliment her words, she reached out and bundled the girl into her arms, where she began running her palm down one of the braids trailing down her back. "I truly do love you, but... Nina... There's something I need to tell you..."

Before she could do the telling, she felt a hand grip her shoulder again. It began shaking her. When she failed to respond within a reasonable amount of time, the hand shook with far more insistence. At last, she finally gave it what it wanted by opening her eyes, gasping in the meantime. The moment her mouth shut, her gaze landed upon Nina, who abandoned her side.

"Finally up yet?" she asked while fondling the lantern. She brought a flame to the wick as she spoke. "Sorry to interrupt you. You seemed like you were having a good dream, but duty calls." Shortly after, she abandoned the lamp to tend to one of their bags, particularly the hefty. As she began pulling out random materials, Soleil slowly brought herself up, eyes widening. When their eyes met again, Nina dropped a brow. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

Soleil jumped.

"H-Heh... Do I?" She looked away. "I must be tired."

"Whatever you say." Nina's tone clearly didn't buy a word she said, but she carried on with her work inside the bag anyway. While hiding in the cover of Nina's blind spot, Soleil cringed. She clutched her head, teeth gritting as she imprisoned a sigh.

A dream was all it was.

She should have known better than to let dreams get the best of her emotions.

When Nina was finished in the bag, she had a bundle of tools: the sheet and mirror they bought in Izumo, a box of hairpins, a thick string of rope, two dark pieces of clothing, and plenty of arrows to go along with her bow. When the equipment hit the ground in the center of their camp, Soleil eyed Nina strangely. She opened her mouth as she watched the other begin to undo the latches that kept her satchels adorned on her hip. Because of what valuable things they stored, seldom had she ever removed those satchels during the journey, even when she slept.

"Why're you taking those off?" Soleil inquired. One divorced from Nina, so she threw it into one of the bags.

"As a precaution," she replied. "The money's in that one, and loose coins can be pretty noisy when they're clinking against each other in a quiet room." She stripped herself of another. "The map, compass, and pocket watch are in this one." It landed in the bag as well.

"Maps aren't noisy," Soleil pointed out.

"True..." Nina replied thoughtfully. She glanced at the girl grimly. "But if something happens to me while we're in the fort, I'd hate for you to be without a way to navigate yourself around the continent. That's why I think we should leave everything we don't need here. Just in case."

While bringing herself to her feet, Soleil stretched with a groan.

"I can't believe I almost forgot you were a pessimist."

"Try _realist._ "

"Pessimist."

"Realist."

"Pessimist."

"Realist."

"Pessimist."

In the wake of their disagreement, Nina scowled and narrowed her eyes. She scoffed before long, and she went to retrieve the two cloaks laying on the ground.

"We don't have the time for these immature arguments right now," she muttered while tossing Soleil her disguise. With ease, she caught it, and she promptly proceeded to become one with the night, leaving only her ankles and feet exposed. She pat her hip to make sure her kodachi was present. She fidgeted in attempt to ease her worries. It was in vain, and Nina quickly caught on. After also slipping into her dark clothing, Nina crossed her arms. Her eyes gazed at her partner intensely. "Alright, before we head out, I think we need to lay out some rules."

"Sounds reasonable..."

"Up until now, you've been calling me the leader, so I expect you to treat me like one. Whatever I tell you to do is what you'll do, got it?"

"Even if it's someth-"

"Even if it's something you don't want to do. You have to trust me on this, Soleil. Am I clear?" What stuck out the most to Soleil was the intensity in Nina's eyes. Nina seemed to be far better than Soleil when it came to hiding her emotions, but that did not mean she could mask them entirely. Deep in the pits of Nina's lush green eyes, Soleil found a fear that was equal to her own. She had not lost her confidence... had she?

"N-Nina..."

"I know what I'm doing. I may look scared, but that's only because I know what's on the line. That's okay. It sharpens my senses." From the only fanny pack left on her hip, she withdrew her notebook, which she popped open. It landed precisely on the page she wanted: the page containing a large, intricate blueprint of the entire fort. Arrows, which detailed the fort's patrols, circled around the exterior. On the fort's rear, there was a maze. "Here's our plan." Her finger jabbed the entrance of the fort. "There'll be at least two or three guards posted at the gate. I can get past them unnoticed. You can't. This is our only way in."

Soleil's eyes widened.

"W-Wait... You aren't saying you're...?"

"I'm not going in alone for too long. What I'll do is go on ahead of you." The finger pointed at the flank of the fort. "You'll wait for me here. Once I'm on top of the wall, I'll drop the rope down so you can climb up."

"Will you be able to hold me up while I'm climbing? I'm uh... not exactly a feather, you know..."

"There're no other options, so we'll have to do what we can. Speaking of what we're doing..." She directed Soleil's attention to the blank space within the illustrated fortress' walls. "All I want to get is the inside of the fort. That's it. Once I have a good sketch, we're leaving. If we come across anything noteworthy, we'll-"

"What would you consider noteworthy?"

Taking little liking to being interrupted (despite being quite the interrupter herself), Nina's expression dropped.

"I don't know. Maybe a war council tent? Just whatever can give the army the upper hand, like maps, letters, rosters..." She took a step back, motioning for her partner to follow. "My point is that I don't want us to be in there for long. We'll take whatever seems important only if we find it on accident." Without waiting for an answer, she began to depart from camp. "You can turn the lamp off. We probably won't be back until the sun rises."

After extinguishing the lamp with a quick breath, Soleil hid their extra belongings in the bushes, hoping a wanderer would not stumble upon them. In the darkness, she followed quickly after her leader, a task she found to be slightly more difficult than she anticipated. The heavy material of her cloak made many friends with the thorns and vines teeming in the woods, and the two friends did not wish to depart from one another. She had no sympathy for either of them. The most she cared about was Nina.

How afraid she was for her.

All those months ago, when she begged Corrin for the opportunity to journey with Nina, she never anticipated things to become so... tense. She found comfort in Nina's sense of confidence. That confidence had disappeared, and Soleil was too afraid to ask where it had gone. Or was Nina always like that before a heist? She only saw Nina during a heist once, and that was a long way away, in a fancy villa. Nina was the army's enemy then, and she did seem quite tense as she attempted to make a run for it... likely because she had been caught, by an army no less.

Twenty minutes finally landed them before a clearing. In the midst of it stood the powerful Fort Jinya, whose sides were decorated with warm torches. Before departing from the bramble, the two crouched, hiding in what little security they had left.

"A few more rules," Nina announced. It was the first she had spoken since their trip to the fort began. To suddenly hear her voice again startled her neighbor, who blinked and turned to the side.

"Okay..."

"If it's possible, we need to avoid conflict at all costs, even if we're being chased. Breaking in a fort is one thing, but killing one of the soldiers is another... We'll definitely have a lot of people out for our heads if that happens."

But Soleil knew her kodachi thirsted for blood, particularly Hoshidan blood. The blood of any who would come against them. The blood of any who would mean them harm. Soleil would never find it within her to shed mercy upon such a foe... unless Nina asked, which she did. For Nina's sake, she suppressed her urges with her all.

"I'll do what I can," she muttered quietly. "You probably know what's best when it comes to this kind of stuff..."

"Corrin chose me for a reason. Follow my orders and I promise everything'll turn out okay." Nina started to depart from the bramble. When Soleil prepared to follow, Nina's palm roughly met her chest. Against her, Soleil could feel her partner's hand quiver with fury. "Stay here and wait for my signal. I'll appear on the western flank."

"W-Wait..." Soleil grabbed her wrist urgently after Nina proceeded once again. Frustrated, Nina turned back around.

"What?"

"U-Um..." She attempted to think of an excuse. Any excuse. Any excuse that would justify keeping her from that fort just a little bit longer. Anything that would give her peace of mind. "Which wall is the western one?"

Nina pointed to the wall that stood directly in front of them.

"That one, you dummy. You wouldn't see the signal if I went to any other side."

"Oh, right. That's right." Her eyes lazily wandered to the side. She could not watch Nina walk away, otherwise she likely would have lunged at her again. What she'd give to wrap her arms around her legs and drag her all the way back to camp... "Good luck... Be careful."

"I will."

Before she knew it, the night swallowed Nina whole. Or did Nina consummate with the night? She and the night were awful good pals after all, so the latter would make the most sense. Soleil could only place her faith in the night, hoping it loved her enough in return to keep her hidden.

It felt like forever.

Forever, it seemed, Soleil sat in the bushes, eyes staring intently at the wall. The only time she took her eyes off of it was when she felt a little critter crawling on her leg, which she promptly flicked away. She felt tempted to play around with it to remedy the wait, but she knew better. She knew better than to take her eyes off that wall for long. Too much was at stake.

Luckily, her eye kept on that wall, just as she swore she would. Sooner than she anticipated, a flash caught her attention. It was unknown how such a light was produced, but she knew for certain it was Nina's signal. A line fell over the side of the fort, and it waited to assist her. Without a second thought, Soleil scrambled to her feet, dusted herself off, and took her leave from her cover. Into the fray was she to venture, but she faced the problem with a glint of stubborn confidence... which was shaky, but confident nonetheless.

The closer she drew to the edifice, the more it became clear that the line was indeed a rope. She gripped it the moment she had a chance, and she gave it a good tug to test its sturdiness. The sudden weight spooked Nina, who had coiled the rope's other end around her waist. After checking her surroundings, she cleared her throat and peered down.

"Hurry up!" left her lips quietly. It was unknown to her if Soleil got the message, but she did seem to follow her orders. Without the burden of a heavy pack weighing her down, Soleil scaled the rope without too many qualms. Whatever qualms she had were due mostly in part to Nina, who lacked in strength. Once or twice, Soleil's weight became a challenge to support. Out of defiance, however, she angrily furrowed her brows, cussed at her weakness, and planted her feet in the ground the best she could. The process continued until a familiar palm slapped the surface of the wall walk, and once she was sure that hand had its grip, Nina at last allowed herself to relax.

"Whew. Glad you could keep me up after all," breathed the new arrival after rolling onto her back. While bundling the rope back into a tidy coil, Nina grimaced.

"You sure aren't a feather."

"Told you so."

"I never said you didn't."

"Still told you."

"Yeah, yeah..." Nina shoved the rope into Soleil's hands once she was back on her feet. "If everything else tonight goes this well, we should be alright."

A taste of victory, even if it were a small drop, gave Soleil the comfort she needed. Optimism, as it tended to, returned to her face, and she happily pranced at Nina's side. Nina scolded her for making too much noise not too long into her brief parade, so she stopped.

The two toured the wall walk for the time being, as it was the most comfortable part of the fort. Additionally, it overlooked all of the fort's insides, including its many structures and divisions. Nina stole the moment to jot down what she could make out. In the meantime, with tense shoulders, Soleil constantly surveyed the area, an itchy hand babysitting the blade on her hip. Nina would not have liked to know Soleil kept violence as a close solution to any confrontations, so the matter was kept hidden. Besides, it was important that a charcoal pencil was manipulated by a confident, relaxed hand.

It became apparent that Nina was finished when she eased her notebook shut.

"I'm done with this side," Nina announced. She turned to her right, where a torch could be seen burning in the distance. Where there was a torch, there was a guard who carried it, and he patrolled the wall walk just like them. "We'll need to hit the northern, southern, and eastern sides of the walls too if I'm going to get a complete sketch of this place."

"Too bad we can't just walk around up here to get to those sides," Soleil commented, eyes maintaining their watch on the distant guard. It was he that kept her attention for the most amount of time, but he had not moved. Not even once. He seemed glued to his post like a statue. There was no way they could get past him without stirring up some kind of drama, at least not on the wall walk.

"That just means we'll have to cross through the fort," Nina mused. "I'm not familiar with the patrol routes, so while we're down there, we need to keep close to make sure nothing goes wrong."

A lecherous grin could not keep from Soleil's face for long.

"Oh ho, you know I don't have a problem with keeping close to you..."

To their chagrin, they found the interior of the fort far more guarded than the outside. Far more guarded than even Nina expected, in fact. More than once, when they emerged from the shadows of an alley, they nearly walked into the light of a patrol. Nina was hesitant to employ her mirror to spy beyond any corners. If another patrol came along, the light would surely reflect off the glass and create a blinding light. A light so bright was what she used to signal to Soleil at the beginning of their heist, so it could most definitely signal to guards as well.

"Hot damn. What's with all the security in here?" Nina grumbled after watching the back of the umpteenth patrol leave the vicinity of their hiding place. "It's nothing like the outside. I had a feeling the inside would be more guarded, but nothing like this..."

In spite of the threat of being captured, which was uncomfortably imminent, the two continued to sneak their way through the mazes of levees and tents. An empty tent offered them shelter from a surprise patrol, and they graciously accepted its hospitality. While inside, Nina proceeded to rummage, and Soleil nervously kept watch over the entrance flap. Some things caught Nina's interest: a few maps nested in a cabinet of cubbies, some of which had distinct routes. She snatched them without a second thought, shoved them in her pack, and beckoned for her partner to follow her back into the darkness.

They almost threw the flap open to another patrol, but they narrowly escaped their suspicion by rushing back into the tent and hiding beneath the nearest thing they could find, which would be a table. Once they were sure the coast was clear, they departed and swiftly made a beeline for the nearest place of sanctuary.

It took doing, but the two eventually found themselves a flight of stairs at took them back to the wall walk. The stationary guard was to their left, which meant they had successfully made it directly across the fort. Nina commended their work, especially after having little to nothing that helped them navigate. Using what little light was provided by a full moon, she proceeded to scribble again.

"Are things normally this tense on nights like these?" Soleil asked after noticing her shoulders were stiff enough to make her head sore.

"No. I don't usually go around picking fights with armies." Nina sounded distant, for she was much too wrapped up in her work... which made sense. The sooner she finished, the sooner they could leave.

"What're we doing here anyways? I don't remember hearing Lord Corrin say he wanted any work done in some silly little fort."

"True, but he left the ultimate judgment to me. He said I should get whatever I think will be useful, and this'll _definitely_ be useful. If the army can capture this place, it'll be an invaluable asset. Think of it like wedging your foot somewhere... you won't be able to move much, but you'll have plenty of time to recollect yourself for your next move."

"Sheesh, I don't know squat about all this strategy mumbo jumbo."

"That seems to be only one of many things you don't know squat about."

"Was that a jab at me?"

"Maybe."

"Heh. Good. That just means I'm allowed to jab back now."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

At the northern wall, Nina continued. It was amazing how, with time, Soleil felt her uneasiness melt away. Her shoulders gradually unknotted, and her brows relaxed. The faint smile on her lips grew in prominence. It was nothing short of Nina's work... or, rather, Nina's _magic._ What that girl could do was nothing short of magic. Her intuition. Her clairvoyance. Her cunningness. Truly, Soleil could see why Corrin wanted to entrust such a mission in the hands of Nina, a guru of sneakiness.

As a side effect, Soleil became a bit _too_ comfortable.

"So, Nina..."

"Uh-huh..." Again, like before, she sounded disengaged, but Soleil knew she listened.

"I was thinking. When we get back to camp, would it be possible for us to... um... talk, maybe?"

"Assuming we aren't exhausted by the time we get back."

"Yeah. Of course. I mean, I don't think it would be a long conversation or anything, but... uh..."

"You don't stammer that much unless you're wanting to talk about what I said we won't talk about... at least not until we're done here."

Soleil paused.

She should've seen it coming. Of course Nina was going to read her like an open book. She was unrealistically good at those sorts of things... too good, in some instances... much like now.

Defeated, Soleil sighed, and her head dropped.

"Right..."

"We'll discuss it eventually," her companion reassured. "I wouldn't be comfortable leaving it as it is either."

She was not as disappointed as she was before, not in the wake of such good news. It gave her all the spunk she needed to maintain the jump in her step behind Nina. Unbeknownst to her, the hairs on the back of her neck were raising. They rose much to high much too quickly, and Nina did not like the feeling.

Perhaps it was for a good reason; not too far away from them, in the center of the fort's largest tent, there was a man. The particular man sat himself upon a pillow, a long smoking pipe hanging out of his mouth. When he eased the end from between his lips, a soldier approached him. The soldier was a man worth reckoning, for his uniform was unlike those around him, and the flags adorned on his back were lofty and colorful. With a stern expression, he placed one thing on the table before the smoking man: a sheet of paper tattooed by charcoal.

"Chief Tactician Yukimura, pardon my tardiness, but this has come to my attention."

The man, dubbed Yukimura, lifted a brow as he took another breath of his tobacco, which promptly exited his mouth in the form of a thin cloud of smoke.

"There's no need to apologize. Getting appointments with me has been rather tedious as of late with all that's been going on in the south. Now..." His fingers prodded the paper carefully, and it slid it closer to his view. He fixed his glasses and carefully studied it. "What is this?"

"It was found just outside the fort last night, sir. Judging by the media used to make the drawings, I can best assume the artist is Nohrian."

"Quite so, but..." Yukimura paused to squint at the mess of doodles, particularly at what was distinctly a puppy dog licking a kitten. The man drawn in the corner of the page, however, bought his attention the most. The illustrated man was a dancer, but his clothes did not seem to fit his occupation; he wore the thick leather hide of a Nohrian soldier. "These drawings are rather... childish."

"Yes sir, but with the desperation facing the Nohrian faction in the south, it's reasonable to suppose they've sent espionage units to gather information. Only a foolish Nohrian would venture this deep into the motherland during war. As a precaution, I've doubled the patrols for tonight."

After closing his eyes, Yukimura nodded slowly. Another puff of smoke calmed his nerves.

"Your assumptions are reasonable indeed," he murmured, placing his eye on the Nohrian soldier on the page once more. "For the next three nights, it would be wise to use more than the prescribed amount of lantern oil. This fortress needs to stay very bright so that these spies, or spy, would not dare to consider infiltration. In the meantime, ready a convoy to be sent to the capital. We will definitely be in need of supplies once those three nights are over."

"I will enact all you have commanded, sir. Good night." Without a word more, the decorated soldier presented a steep, humble bow and took his leave from the tent. Such left Yukimura in peace to continue smoking as he studied the drawings further.

While en route to their final destination, the southern wall, Nina and Soleil caught on to the effects of such a conversation. Nina was the first to notice the interior of the fort began to gradually grow brighter, and it made the edges of her teeth ghost over her bottom lip. Soon enough, when Soleil noticed too, those teeth began to gnaw on her lip instead. They could see their surroundings much better than before, but it came at a price: the risk of being seen as well.

Moments after realizing what happened, Nina took Soleil by the wrist and urgently drug her to the nearest, and darkest, corner she could scout. There they nestled, seeking refuge behind crates of supplies. Soleil's eyes were wide the entire time, and when she turned to look at her partner, she found a face that did not comfort her. It was a face identical to the one she wore in Izumo just moments before they embarked on a chase throughout the city.

"N-Nina...?" she stammered. "What's happening?"

"Something's caused them to want to brighten the place up. Geez, they must be trying to make this place a second sun..." Nina responded coolly. On the inside, she teetered on the edge of losing that coolness.

"I don't remember it being _this_ bright all those nights we were watching from the outside."

"You're right. Something's different about tonight. Dammit, of all the nights. Of _all_ the damned nights..."

Soleil ebbed closer to her partner, assuming such a thing were possible.

"What does that mean for us?"

"Were stuck here until there's a window in the patrols." She retrieved the small mirror from one of her pouches, then proceeded to raise it above her head. With her back against the crate, the mirror's face carefully peeked over the crate's surface. It quickly dove back down the moment Nina had a proper picture. "Be quiet."

Soleil held her breath, and it whetted her senses to a degree she never fathomed to be possible. She could hear each heartbeat. Every tremble of her nervous muscles. Every footstep of their enemy, which drew closer and closer to their hiding place. Solace graced her in the form of Nina's hand, which ghosted over the top of her own. Seconds after she received a tight squeeze, Soleil found peace. Before she knew it, the footsteps passed them, never to suspect a single thing.

"Things _were_ going pretty smoothly," Nina announced softly. It must have been safe to talk now, Soleil figured, but she let Nina finish. "But thanks to this curveball, we don't have the room to be as lax as we were. Our top priority is just getting the hell out of here. We have two choices: one, we take our time and find places to hide on the way to an exit, or two, we make a break for it. When I say make a break for it, I mean _run._ Run like you've never ran before."

"Wh-Which option's b-better?" Soleil scolded herself mentally for sounding so frightened. Being frightened was totally not cool.

"They're both equally risky. If we stay here too long looking for hiding places, we're more likely to get caught, and if we make a run for it... Well, we'd be pretty lucky if we didn't stir up some kind of attention."

"Please just pick for me."

"I can do either one, Soleil. I want you to decide because only you know what you can do the best. If you don't think you have it in you to sprint like a wild bear is chasing you, don't even bother trying."

"Oh Nina, I have enough adrenaline to o-outrun Charlotte when sh-she's as mad as the time I asked her out on a d-date."

"That's pretty fast."

"Uh-huh."

"So it's the second option, then."

"S-Sure."

"Alright." She lifted the mirror again. Judging by her reaction, the coast was clear for the time being, but it was certain that it would not stay clear for long. In spite of such news, Nina did not prompt for either of them to sprint out of their comfort zone. No. Instead, she simply set the glass back in her lap. Through her nostrils, she took a deep, deep breath. Soleil watched in awe. When she thought Nina's chest could not possibly hold any air more, Nina only surprised her by continuing. When Nina stopped, she held it in for as long as she could, and when she did finally release it, she released it gradually. It took an entire minute for her chest to return to its normal elevation. In the aftermath of the action, she closed her eyes and allowed her lips to part. "I want you to do exactly as I did, Soleil."

Soleil copied her without any backtalk, even if she did not do it as smoothly. Nina caught on to such a detail, so when Soleil was finished, she told her to do it again, but slower. She felt lightheaded after the second time, but, at the same time, oddly refreshed.

"What was that for?"

"To clear your mind. Don't think about anything else but following me. Once we're out of hiding, I can't stress how important it is that you obey every thing I tell you to do."

"Right..." Soleil replied as Nina's hand crept once more onto hers. They remained still, anxiously gripping the other's hand.

And then, with her free hand, Nina returned the mirror to its place above her, and she peered into its reflection. All was well at the moment.

"Are you ready?" she inquired. Deep down, Soleil was nowhere near ready, but she knew the issue had to be dealt with very, very soon. Too soon. Even so, she clamped her eyes shut and yielded a painful nod. "Alright, let's go. Don't stop. Ever."

They flew from their hiding place like eagles, powerfully flapping their wings. With nothing to weigh them down, like bags, they tore through the brick ground beneath them at a speed that even frightened them. Of course, such a spectacle could not go unnoticed for long; when they encountered a fork in the road, Nina insistently led them down what she believed was the proper direction. Being rejected made the other direction unfathomably envious, and it conspired to take its revenge by sending two guards after them. It was too soon for Nina's liking, so she released the umpteenth swear.

"Don't let them slow you down!" she exclaimed to her partner, who trailed behind closely.

Soleil would have told her that the guards had the opposite effect on her, but she salvaged no spare breath to speak. Never before had she ran with such fury. Her lungs ached with pains from training sessions. Her legs felt as though they caught fire. Her mind was no longer governed by rationality; it was governed by impulse.

Like a pair of celebrities, the two earned themselves quite the following. Guards shouted at one another, alerting their comrades that their enemies had arrived. Gongs rang in the distance. The sounds of angered Hoshidans howled behind them, clawing at their ankles like a hungry pit from Hell. As more joined in on the chase, Nina grew worried. She was familiar with that gut-wrenching feeling, for she had felt it before. Seemingly ages ago, in the heart of an expensive villa, she felt that feeling. At the head of that awful feeling was none other than her father, who was followed by an entire army, all armed and sapped dry of mercy. Not too long after that feeling arose, she found herself caught, humiliated, and defeated. As one who respected her intuition, she began to formulate possible detours that would still ultimately purchase their victory.

The nuclear option had to be taken.

Once they reached the wall walk, their paparazzi not too far behind, Nina slowed and, without a second to waste, whipped around to face Soleil. Such caused Soleil to widen her eyes as she skidded to a halt, almost running into her leader.

"We don't have much time, so listen to me. There's way more security in here than I bargained for. They'll chase us into the woods if we both go down there together, and that's a chase we're bound to eventually lose."

Soleil, anxious, allowed her eyes to dart down at the ground level, where she found the mass covering ground after them.

"Wh-What're you saying?" she asked after turning back to her.

"I'm saying we need to split up! Jump down there and head straight for the woods. Don't stop once you're in there. Don't hide. Just run. Keep running. If everything works out the way I want it to, they won't follow you for too long."

Baffled, Soleil's lips gaped.

"What about you?"

"I'm staying here! I know how to get someone off my tail, but you don't! I'll buy enough time for you to get away!" As she spoke, she dug out her journal from her pouch, and she promptly shoved it down the front of Soleil's tunic. Both checked on their pursuers again: still closer, and their size grew. A sight so terrifying forced Nina's face back to Soleil, burning with force. "Go! Now! I'll meet you back at camp!"

"No! I'm not going!" Soleil responded. "It's my job to protect you, so that's what I'm going to do!"

For just a moment, she fooled herself into believing Nina would admit her plans, but Soleil could be quite gullible at times. From disbelief, Nina's face morphed into anger. No, it was rage. Never before had Soleil seen such a expression on her friend.

"Soleil..." she sneered. "You damned..." Without a word more, she shoved Soleil with all the force she could muster. Her strength alone would not have been enough to steal Soleil's balance, but the element of surprise was on Nina's side. After teetering around in vain, Soleil began to plummet from the top of the fort's wall, but, by sheer luck, some of her grappling fingers caught hold of the wall's edge. As though her life depended on it, Soleil clung to that edge, and tears welled in her worried eyes.

"Nina, please! Please, please, don't do thi-" Nina's feet stomped on her measly fingers, and she released a howl. Even that, however, would not allow her grip to falter, but a second stomp... That certainly did the trick. When they lost all feeling, her fingers had no choice but to let go. Screaming, Soleil plunged down the exterior of the fortress, scraping against it once or twice when she got too close. She attempted to land on her feet, but it was a fool's endeavor. In fact, it earned her a twisted ankle, which crippled her the moment she landed.

Frantically, Soleil's eyes searched for her partner as she crawled her way away from the edifice. The more distance she gathered, the more she could properly see: Nina remained on the wall walk, running the fastest her feet could take her. Behind her rushed a mob armed with torches, katanas, and naginatas. Watching Nina would do her no good, Soleil realized, and the most she could do was stumble back into the bramble. Her ankle, now freshly twisted, hindered her, but, with all her might, she shoved the painful sensations aside and made her way into hiding.

Left behind, alone to deal with the fray, Nina could finally employ the agility tucked snugly up her sleeve. She clung to the nearest flagpole like a lover, and she effortlessly scaled her way to its top, confident her disappearance would be unnoticed. Unnoticed it was indeed, for, while hidden in the darkness of the sky, the band of angered guards swept past her like a current. She was sure she had won, otherwise a smirk would not have spread across her lips...

Until she felt something lodge into the side of her back. Like Soleil, she roared in response to the pain. Instinctually, her grip on the pole faltered, but before she could hit the surface of the wall walk, she grabbed the shaft again. She could not hang on for too long, unfortunately, for her hands suffered from painful burns and the occasional splinter. Having been forced to let go again, she plummeted off the side of the wall, no matter her efforts to scramble her way back onto the wall walk. Once again, she found herself trapped inside the fortress. Unlike Soleil, Nina was dexterous enough to successfully land on her feet without twisting an ankle, but the shock jolting up her shins did not feel any better than twisting an ankle. Weakened, Nina stood still, panting nervously, hands quaking, heart pounding.

 _"So an archer saw me,"_ she thought worriedly to herself after realizing the pain in her back was from an arrow. It did not lodge too deep into her skin, but it was deep enough to cause worry. _"All I can hope for is that the arrow wasn't coated in any type of poison..."_

Silly Nina, who had hope. She was supposed to be the realist, not the optimist. She only had suspected such a thing because it was the most likely scenario. Unfortunately, she was correct; after being shot by the arrow, she felt a definite shortage of breath and energy. Whatever poison coated that arrow, it slowed her tremendously. Her legs felt heavy and squishy like gelatin, and her lungs were ready to pop. With such in addition to the unbearable pain she felt all over her body, she was almost entirely encumbered.

One last trick from the Hoshidans did her in: as she sprinted the best she could down a welcoming corridor, looking for a place to hide, one wrong step ensnared her in a trap. A rope hugged one of her ankles tightly, perhaps too tight, and yanked her into the air. With a yelp, Nina felt her body turned upside down. She began to panic, realizing what had happened, and her hand instantly darted to the knife strapped to her thigh. However, when she commanded for her belly to pull her upper body up to the rope that suspended her, her muscles refused to work. Numbness was all she felt in her abdomen, and she had little control.

"No, no, no..." she muttered to herself before trying to pull herself up again. It was to no avail. "Gods, please no." She hoped that, perhaps, her arm could extend long enough to reach the rope. If only she could get that blade to that rope. If only! Freedom would be all hers...

There was no point in hoping.

Footsteps caught her attention, and she nervously searched for the source, which she found not too long afterward. Easing nearer was a middle-aged man, his chin littered with prickles. Two round, sophisticated reading glasses covered his eyes, and the glare from a nearby light made those glasses shine. Behind him trailed plenty of Nina's pursuers, armed and prepared to protect him.

Just her luck: she was already face-to-face with the fort's head honcho.

"You didn't put up much of a chase, visitor," muttered the man in charge.

"Stay back!" Nina sneered as though her words would provide any assistance.

"Hm. A feisty one." The man paused when their faces were a mere breath away from the other. Of course, being held upside down, Nina could not make the most proper of analyses. The bridge of her nose wrinkled at her captor. She fought to contain the spit in her mouth. Satisfied with himself, the man smiled, and his eyes slid to the side. "I'd hate for you to keep that rotten attitude when we take you in for questioning..."


	17. The Truth Unspoken

When the sharp tip of a naginata poked the side of her throat, Nina felt uncomfortable. Well, the splinters sticking out of her red hands were uncomfortable as well, as was the arrow protruding from her back. After pressing against the stone ground for an undesirable amount of time, her knees were uncomfortable too. All in all, she was just plain uncomfortable, and it was an itch she just couldn't scratch. Why? Because her hands were bound behind her back by a rope, and the knot was quite challenging to unravel when her hands quivered like an earthquake.

Before her, there sat a man, a pipe hanging out of his mouth. Unlike her, he had the privilege to sit atop a pillow, a zabuton, she'd heard it called by certain people. It sure looked comfortable... Well, at least more comfortable than the cold floor, which was all she had been given. If they could take the ground from her, she was fairly certain they would not even give her that.

She felt spite radiating from every pair of eyes in the room; every guard that pointed a spear toward her, every arrow aimed at her head, every club prepared to bash her into a coma... Now that she thought about it, they sure did have a lot of weapons pointed at her, the small girl whose limp wrists were bound. She felt like a dangerous animal, a leashed, hungry tiger that ached to lunge at any who moved. Obviously, that wasn't the case: the Hoshidans were just overreacting.

The only unarmed man in the room, the fortress' smoking leader, finally cleared his throat once he finished observing her. He readjusted his glasses and straightened his spine while his gaze grew hard. Well, harder than it was before. Before, she only saw anger. Now, she saw malice.

"That's a Nohrian if I ever saw one," he spoke grimly. "Narrow head; ghastly complexion; colored, round eyes..." His own eyes narrowed. "And that same glint in the eye of every Nohrian I've ever had the displeasure of coming across." The folks back in the army weren't lying when they said the Hoshidans were the most prejudice people on the continent. Nina felt embarrassed because she didn't believe them at the time she was told such a thing. Now she understood why the room was more tense than she thought it would be. In the middle of his pause, the man sucked on his pipe and huffed a cloud. "I want to know the name of the superior that sent you here."

She could tell them, but there was no guarantee it would save her hide. Besides, if she did spill everything she knew... that would certainly be the end of those that were dear to her. She hated every second of being in that blasted army, but those that made up that army...

Corrin.

Shigure.

Siegbert.

Velouria.

Percy.

Sophie.

Ophelia.

Forrest.

Dwyer.

Ignatius.

Midori.

Kana.

The parents of her friends.

Soleil's parents.

Her own parents.

Those were the people she'd come to love. Her friends. She was quite sure they loved her back in spite of her obvious (and embarrassing) flaws. For their sake, she refused to open her mouth, and she remained silent for as long as she could. By fleeing to the ground, her eyes found sanctuary, and her mind fled the issue by counting the number of cracks in the cobblestone floor. It was surprisingly distracting.

Until the man spoke again.

"Hmph. Any of you suppose she can't understand me? My accent might be a bit thick for her..."

"No sir, you speak her language adequately," commented a guard. "She simply refuses to answer."

"So she's a stubborn one. Pity. I should've known better than to hope she would be cooperative; a Nohrian is a Nohrian after all." One of the most threatening actions he could perform was an action she never thought she would find threatening: he stood. It was all he did. The wind from rising made the candle at his side flicker, but it was disturbed no more after he made movements toward her. Before her, he paused, belittling her with his scowl. "I've been told I am a rather progressive man, and I concur; I don't discriminate. Man, woman, young, old... I treat them all the same."

He eyed one man with a blunt club, then nudged his head toward his prisoner. Perhaps that action was more threatening than standing up since the man with the club prodded over to her, rhythmically beating the center of his palm with his weapon. He did not hit her, but only because he seemed to restrain himself. A second time, the leader cleared his throat.

"I'll give you one last chance to answer before I begin taking undesirable measures," he warned. "Your superior?"

Her hands began to quake, and sweat beaded on her forehead. She had to bite her tongue, for she feared it would betray not just her, but also those she longed to protect. It took every ounce of her willpower to keep herself contained in one miserable ball of dread. When the man recognized her decision, he heaved a deep sigh and fanned his hand toward her. Nina's worried eyes followed the club as it ascended into the air. As it cascaded, she knew she was in for unimaginable pain.

For once, she hated being right.

Right next to her arrow wound on her back, she felt the impact, and it came with more than enough force to plant her face on the harsh floor. Breathing profusely, she fought to contain the urge to roar. The static guards around her watched stoically, showing not even an ounce of remorse, disgust, or empathy. On the ground she remained, for she found not even the strength to lift her head. Almost all of that strength went to coping with the misery that spread down her spine, throbbing over and over again. Again, she found solace from reality by counting, but not the cracks in the stone; instead, she found more interest in counting how many times her heart could beat in a second. So long as she continued to count, she at least knew she was still alive.

But was living worth it?

"Takamatsu, is your wrist feeling limp today? I've seen you hit harder than that," muttered the interrogator. "I suppose we'll call that merely a taste of what's to come, Nohrian. With that as only a taste, could you imagine an entire meal? I would suggest speaking now if you prefer not to find out."

The faces of her comrades remained in her mind. If they left, she would surely cave. She just had to keep thinking about them! She could not betray them! A moment of agonizing pain was always better than a lifetime of regret and shame... assuming her captors would let her live once they got what they wanted from her. That was all the more reason to keep quiet; if her last stand has come, she was to make sure the Hoshidans got nothing out of it.

By shaking her head, she sealed her fate. Again, the end of the club kissed the air, and it whacked her back once again. She surrendered a yelp after the second blow, fingers sprawling and straining. She coughed because she thought she needed to. Perhaps the pain made her delirious.

"Let's try this again..." The man knelt before her, took her by the chin, and lifted her head. She was forced to gaze into his eyes. Such anger. Such hatred. She saw it... and something else. In the blackness of his pupils, there dwelled interest, fascination, almost. "I want to know who sent you." She did not answer, but things did not go as she predicted. As long as it did not involve her getting hit another time, she was happy to be proven wrong. "Whoever it was, they're quite bold, sending a young lady such as yourself somewhere so dangerous. Stupid, even? No, I wouldn't say stupid... foolish perhaps... or maybe even genius. I know of no Nohrian generals with such intellect or tactics, so that must mean you were sent from a small, lesser-known faction. One that is alone... and desperate."

Her gaze hardened.

"You think?" she finally mewled.

"Ah, so you _can_ understand me..."

"I'll tell you what you want to know." If it could stall time from getting hit again, she was more than willing to embrace it. Or, if they did decide to kill her after getting the information they wanted, at least she would be put out of her misery for good. "It was General Farvald of the northern faction. He sent me... to collect your roster data..."

The man paused. Beside him, the club bearer lowered his weapon, assuming his job was finished. However, to Nina's surprise, after he turned back to his leader, the leader merely shook his head, closing his eyes softly. Darkness washed over her when she watched him wave at her again. The third blow was the hardest blow yet, so she released the loudest howl yet.

"There is no General Farvald. You must think me a fool," he groaned before turning to his soldier once more. "Hit her again for that one. Perhaps next time she'll think twice before telling any lies."

Sweating profusely, Nina began to breathe quicker. She did not know if her vision was clouding because of how quickly she breathed or because of the agonizing pain spreading across her back. In just a few hits from that club, she had already become tender, which meant each beating was destined to hurt more than the last. Another hit... Could she take one?

No, she could not. But at least her secrets stayed safe in her mouth, for she spewed no answers. When the club met her back once more, the pain finally knocked the girl unconscious. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she descended to the ground, where she lay motionless. As he slowly lifted his weapon, the soldier awkwardly blinked and nudged her with the tip of his foot. Like a limp doll, she did not respond to any of his probes.

"Um... Sir?" He turned to his superior, who sighed.

"A puny pain tolerance."

"I didn't kill 'er, did I?"

"Thankfully, no. There's plenty of information to be mined out of her, so the last thing we'd want is for her to be dead. She's simply unconscious."

Standing in front of an unconscious girl with an arrow in her back did not paint him in a good light, especially in the eyes of the tent's newest arrival: a girl, who slipped through the entrance flap. She was a girl of small stature, young, and seemingly innocent. However, her short, cherry red hair rose the moment her eyes fell upon the scene, and horror spread across her face.

"Y-Yukimura..." she whispered as she approached the man. When the unconscious body was at her feet, she paused, looking down at her neighbor's handiwork with horror. As though they had been caught doing something they should not have, the surrounding soldiers turned their eyes away to disown the situation. The man with the club stepped away, for he knew it was his actions that upset the girl.

"Princess Sakura... I... wasn't expecting you," Yukimura sounded after bowing.

"What have you done to this poor girl?" she asked as she knelt at the girl's side. Two fingers checked for a pulse, which she luckily found, and she gasped once she noticed the arrow protruding from her back. Two hands delicately picked up one hand, which was crippled by many splinters. Her mind jump to its default, so she lifted her head. "She must be taken to the medical tent so I can heal her."

"I do not believe that will be necessary, milady." Yukimura cleared his throat. "The girl you pity is a Nohrian spy. She follows the orders of generals that were appointed by the man that murdered both your mother and your father. You waste your breath worrying for this filth."

Sakura shook her head, passionate with insistence. It was a sight Yukimura took with chagrin, for he knew that meant the fight had become a fight he could not win, not with words nor by power.

"I don't care. This girl isn't King Garon or the general she's obeying. She's hurt... and Hoshido is a benevolent nation, not cruel. Someone please help me."

Many of the soldiers, once holding their blades to Nina's throat, rushed to Nina, where they carefully lifted her into their arms. It wasn't because that was what they wanted, but because it was what Sakura wanted. Yukimura noticed. As the men helping Nina departed from the tent, he huffed a labored sigh.

"Where all respect is due, milady, I deem your hospitality foolish."

When Nina came to, she was met with the sight of the ceiling of a tent. She immediately knew it was a tent because she'd been in many, especially after getting promoted. She became an Adventurer, which meant she was granted the privilege of a second utility to use on the battlefield: a staff, which she could use to heal the wounded. She was terrible at the sport, but it wasn't her fault; she was terrible because her teachers were terrible teachers. Jakob was her first, and only good, teacher; healing was a practice he took to naturally, and he treated it like an art form. However, he only stuck around for about a week because he got impatient with her. Again, it wasn't her fault; she stuttered around men uncomfortably often. That was especially the case with Jakob, for thoughts of he and Corrin continuously roused in her deviant little mind. A master-servant relationship... It was so very romantic... and _steamy._ What if one day, after a tiresome battle, Corrin just needed to release a little frustration? Jakob was bound to serve his master, no matter the command. He would allow himself to be dominated by his stimulated master, and Corrin would hungrily make use of what was his...

Oh.

She was drooling again.

Thus, she was stuck with Elise and Felicia, who were horrible teachers. Felicia was a kind, timid lady, but she always mixed up the lesson plans and gave Nina the wrong instructions. Elise was nice too, but she kept getting distracted by rabbit trails. She didn't seem particularly adept to working either, so, since teaching was working, she constantly prompted to play games like hide-and-go-seek instead of finishing their lesson.

The sight of just the ceiling of the tent evoked so many memories. Once, they were tiresome, perhaps annoying, memories, but now, once they were out of reach, they were happy memories. Her heart sank, for she came to the conclusion she was never to return to those memories. All those people she would never see again... she already missed them. However, she took solace in one fact: they would be okay, for what little work she was able to get done was now with Soleil, who escaped. Eventually, that information would land in the hands of Corrin. Everything was going to be okay.

Wait...

What?

Why was she thinking so sadly? She was Nina, the girl who assembled heists to rob the rich blind. Seldom did she fail in her practice. It was _her_ domain and her domain alone, which meant she was bound to make her escape one way or another. Such despair was an insult to her expertise, and it was an insult she took very, _very_ personally. Instead of wallowing in her fear and gloom, she decided to concoct her escape plan immediately.

Well, _almost_ immediately. The present demanded a little more attention than her project, for when she bolted up, her eyes fell upon an unexpected sight. A redheaded girl sat at the side of the mattress upon which she lay, wringing out a cloth over a bowl of steaming water. Nina's movements spooked the girl, but when she turned to her, she smiled kindly and dipped her head.

"Good morning. O-Or, rather, good evening. You've been zonked out for an entire day. How're you feeling?" Perplexed, Nina blinked. Thanks to the warmth of the nearby candle light, the genial look in her neighbor's eye, and the absence of pain in her back... Nina did not feel threatened, which was the polar opposite of how she felt before she blacked out. However, no matter how comfortable she found herself, she found not the words to respond. That worried the girl at her side, whose brows raised. She gasped and drew nearer. "U-Um... S-Sorry, but... You're from N-Nohr, aren't you? Am I speaking your l-language correctly?"

Nina felt like a criminal for not answering. Funny how that worked, since she was regarded as a literal criminal where she grew up. At that time, and even still in the present, she never batted an eye at such a fact. However, now, feeling like a criminal felt so... criminal. She shook her head quickly in hopes of getting rid of that icky feeling.

"You're fine."

"Th-That's good," she whispered while turning to the bowl of water. "I-I... um... I took you here to patch you up since you... you got on Yukimura's bad side. I'm s-sorry about that... but I'm sure you feel a l-lot better now." Over the stranger's shoulder, Nina caught eye of a staff. It was different than the ones she was used to using, for it was decorated with colorful ribbons and crafted with darker wood. Slowly, pieces of the puzzle started to pop into place. "Um... I also brought you some food... in case you're h-hungry. Being knocked out for an entire day pr-probably made you work up an appetite... so... um... H-Here you go..." She retrieved a square platter resting beside the bowl of water, and she presented it to her guest. Nina stared at the plate's contents strangely, just as she did when the Wind Tribe fed her dinner. Whatever the food was, it was triangular and white. Quite curious, she would call it. If her caretaker had not told her otherwise, she would not have even thought it was food at all. "I-It's called onigiri. I figured you wouldn't know how to use hashi, so I brought you something you can eat with your hands." The girl paused, taking note of how Nina stared. "Don't worry... um... please... I didn't do anything bad to it. It's just rice and... um... t-tuna."

At least it wasn't cabbage, but she was almost hungry enough to consider eating cabbage.

With no better option, she took a dive and nibbled on the triangle. She was surprisingly unimpressed with how it tasted. It was rice indeed, lightly salted and nothing noteworthy, but the interior housed a pinch of fish. The fish was more flavorful than the rice, but that wasn't saying much since almost anything was more flavorful than the rice. For good reason, Nina was always under the impression that Hoshidans did not include much meat in their diet, especially after studying the eating habits of people like Mozu and Azura during her many people watching sessions. After eating authentic Hoshidan cuisine, she came to the conclusion she was not mistaken. What she'd give for a nice bowl of beef stew...

"W-Well? What do you think?" asked the girl. Nina simply nodded in response. "My name's S-Sakura, by the way... I'd like to know your name too."

Eyes widening, Nina's attention abandoned the bland food in her hand, for it went straight back to the girl. Sakura... Sakura.. She'd heard that name before. It was an important name, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why it was important. She was confident in one thing, though: the girl at her side was definitely more than a mere cleric.

She would not have to worry for long; shortly after Sakura finished speaking, a face broke through the entrance flap of the tent. It was the stern, young face of a girl. Her auburn hair spilled over her shoulders, caressing her spotless skin. Initially, Nina was frightened by the stranger's sudden appearance, but, after observing her, she no longer felt as threatened. It wasn't because the stranger softened up; Nina just studied her long enough to comfortably conclude she could outrun her if she needed to.

"Milady, weren't you instructed not to tell the Nohrian your name?"

"What harm is it doing? I want her to trust me."

"You may get the Nohrian to trust you, but you should _never_ trust the Nohrian. Backstabbing fiends're all they are..."

Nina's eyes rolled after narrowing. Were all Hoshidans like that? Did they think it was a sport to see how many times one could insult a Nohrian for being... well, Nohrian? Thus far, the only hospitable Hoshidans on her record were Mozu and Sakura. She was not getting a flattering impression of the nation, and that was unlikely to change.

Wait...

How did the girl address Sakura?

Milady?

"Are you... Princess Sakura of Hoshido?" Nina inquired curiously after taking another bite of her rice ball. Shortly after her question, the girl outside the tent rolled her eyes and ventured deeper inside the tent. Both Nina and Sakura watched her awkwardly, especially as she plopped down beside the latter. Upon her lap, she rested a long, polished katana. Thankfully (for Nina at least), that katana was sheathed, but it did not take away from how menacing it was. Just one blunder and her head might end up quick drawn off her shoulders.

"U-Um... Hana? What are you doing?" Sakura asked the girl who just arrived at her side. She sat with her back stiff, face prejudice.

"Now that she knows your identity, milady, it'd be stupid of me to leave the two of you alone."

Awkwardly, Sakura turned back to Nina.

"I suppose that makes sense..." she muttered lowly. On the bright side, after setting her eyes upon Nina's face again, her confidence resurrected. "I was... I was wondering if my interrogation method would be a bit more effective than Yukimura's. I wouldn't dream of hurting you... o-or being mean to you. S-So... um... can you please tell me who sent you here?"

Hana's eyes burned a hole through Nina's clothes, and it started a fire Nina itched to put out. Any sudden moves, however, would surely startle both of them, and that was the last thing she wanted. Instead, she had to sit perfectly still, smelling the thick, black smoke rising from her clothing. She grew nervous.

Sakura had been hospitable indeed. A broken rib or two would have been hers to endure had Sakura not stepped in and taken care of her. Her calm, serene demeanor made her feel as though they were friends, even if they had only just met. If Sakura made her feel so conflicted on purpose, she was a manipulating mastermind. If on accident... Nina felt guilty to turn her back on such an innocent girl.

"What'll happen if I don't answer you?"

"Ugh. Typical," Hana scoffed.

"Yukimura sent a message about your capture to the capital. That's where my brother Ryoma and my sister Hinoka are," Sakura began. "I've heard rumors that my brother has r-recruited a talented Diviner, and she's created a spell that makes people always tell the truth. If you d-don't answer me... Yukimura is going to send you to the capital, and you'll meet the Diviner. You don't want to go to the capital. My brother is the most gentle man in the world, but only with family. With enemies, he'll... there's no telling how cruel he'll b-be to you. Your king killed our mother and our father. That's something he'll never forgive."

Grim, Nina's eyes narrowed.

"Why're _you_ so forgiving?"

"I'm not. I want your king to die for what he did... but you're not him, and I recognize that. So please... just t-tell me what we need to know so you won't get hurt anymore."

Gradually, Nina found her hands to be more captivating. Her cold, clammy, sweaty hands. Any wetter, and she'd probably have fungus growing out of her moist pores. They quivered. Oh, how they quivered. Yet another trial stood before her, and, with the dread of enduring her most recent beating a second time, it was harder than ever before. She swallowed hard, however, and clamped her teeth down on her tongue. She fought the urge to curl into a pitiful ball.

"There're people I care about. I need to protect them."

Solemn, Sakura withdrew, eyes dulling. As her head hung, she slowly nodded. Hana, on the other hand, huffed an indifferent sigh.

"I understand. If this is the path you wish to take, I won't stop you. Just r-remember... remember not speak defiantly against Ryoma."

To the capital Nina was destined to go. To the capital, where a hawk landed on the gloved arm of a soldier who patrolled the wall walk by torchlight. From the bird's leg, the soldier acquired a small, branded scroll, which, after reading the heading, was addressed to royalty. Respectfully, he did not intrude on its contents, but instead handed it to an off duty guard, who rushed to the nearest royal. The nearest would be an elder, skinny teen, who tended to her pegasus in the company of a few other guards. Upon arrival, the messenger cleared his throat, set a knee upon the filthy stable ground, and presented the letter.

"High Princess Hinoka, I have come to deliver a message from Fort Jinya."

The statement alone immediately grabbed the girl's attention, which was once fixated on her horse. While entrusting the brush to a neighboring guard, she trudged her way through hay and mud to reach the man, from whom she retrieved the letter with insistence.

"By the gods, that's where my sister is..." Every pair of eyes and ears in the room, including the one that was now brushing the horse, curiously watched as she urgently broke the seal. While unraveling the scroll, her gaze hungrily gobbled up the words bound inside. For many solid, uncomfortably quiet minutes, Hinoka's lips were sealed, reading the letter time and time again for fear of misinterpreting the message. Once finished, her calloused fingers rolled the scroll back up. Her eyes hardened in the meantime.

"Milady, is there bad news in the south?"

"No," Hinoka's gruff tone responded. "In fact, it's a turning point in our favor. A Nohrian spy's been caught infiltrating the fortress, and Chief Tactician Yukimura has proposed to bring her to the capital for... Well, let's call it an interrogation." She turned back to he who delivered the letter, and she roughly returned it to him. "Make sure this reaches my brother quickly."

"Right away, milady."

* * *

A pang in her belly awoke Soleil.

Hunger.

All she could feel was wretched, uncomfortable hunger. Having gone at least three days without a proper meal, she had already begun to feel woozy. Several times, she attempted to catch prey, any prey, with which she could feed herself, but her efforts proved pointless. Nina, being handy with a bow, was the designated hunter, not her. The best she could do was swing her kodachi, but a kodachi was nowhere near efficient when it came to hunting down rabbits or the occasional fox. They were too quick for Soleil, who was encumbered by a sprained ankle.

It was too soon to eat the cured meat, for it was still autumn. She could go a little longer without food. When Nina got back, she would get some fresh meat in no time. As bland as it was, just one more meal sounded like heaven. She couldn't wait for that girl to come prodding through the woods, searching for Soleil and the rest of their things...

For four days, Nina never showed up.

During those days, Soleil resorted to foraging on her way back to the fort, where she planned to sit and watch for the return of her partner. During her search, she happened upon berries, many berries, but it only brought back memories of when things were far more simplistic. Seemingly ages ago, just before arriving at the gates of Izumo, Soleil found berries of the exact same color alongside the trail, and she brought them to the attention of Nina. Nina swatted the fruit out of her hand immediately and scowled.

 _"I thought you were smart enough to know you can't just eat any random berry you find in the forest,"_ she had grumbled.

 _"Heh heh... um... In my Deeprealm, the guys and I didn't do much work in forests. Can't keep the local ruffians under control if you're busy with your head shoved in some bushes, miright? It's not my fault for not knowing."_

 _"Nice excuse."_

Needless to say, Soleil did not even consider touching the berries when she saw them again.

One time, she crossed paths with a tall, benevolent apple tree, which caught her eye immediately. At the time she first saw it, she was less hungry and had more energy. However, her sprain was also fresh, so she still had difficulty scaling the tree. The lowest hanging fruit was the most unripe, but that did not deter her from trying to grab it. The second she took a bite into it, her face soured, and she immediately spit it out.

Now that she was desperate for food of any type, the thought of even unripe apples made her mouth water. Lured by the idea of food, Soleil stumbled tiredly from camp, hissing when her ankle threw fits. Four days and there seemed to be no signs of her foot healing. That worried her. If anything, the only progress it seemed to be making was in the direction she didn't want it to go; each day, she awoke to find it more swollen than the day before. She attempted to soothe her pain by massaging it many times, but her ankle always complained. Eventually, she gave up and blamed her lack of recuperation on a lack of nutrition.

It was lucky she found the apple tree again, for she never thought of herself as a master at navigation. When it came to rushing down mazes of alleys, she was a pro, but when it came to the woods... of course she was even lesser than an amateur. Scaling up the tree took more doing than before, especially when her hands trembled. Her ankle refused to help her up the tree, so she had to rely on the strength of her arms and her last good foot. She fumbled many times, but she managed to avoid accidentally landing on her twisted ankle again. After more than enough attempts, she was victorious: a shiny gala apple was in her hand, and she immediately bit into it...

And it was too ripe.

Again, Soleil's expression soured, but it wasn't because the apple was sour. When it fell apart in her mouth, she shook her head and swallowed it anyway, gagging as it slid down her throat. Strangely enough, as disgusting as the apple was, she felt satisfied after just one bite, so she went in for a second. The cycle continued until she had eaten the top, bottom, core and all. She felt tempted to gnaw on the stem, but, after tasting it, she changed her mind.

She continued her post in the bramble, eyes fixed on the gate and walls of the fortress in the clearing. However, it was difficult to keep her eyes fixed on the edifice for long; having slept little the night before, just like all the other nights, her eyes could not stay open for long. They grew heavy, especially after eating her meal.

Soleil did not remember falling asleep, but, all of a sudden, she was yanked out of a dream by the sound of thunder. In actuality, what she heard was not thunder at all. Instead, it was something worse: horses. Lots of them. Her eyes darted around worriedly, searching for the source of the noise, which she found sooner than she anticipated. The fortress spewed a parade from its front gate, and it consisted mostly of hoofed livestock. As expected from the military, the horses were a spectacle indeed: flags of red flew from their back, and sturdy wooden armor shielded their limbs and torso. Merciless horseshoes, cleated, dug holes in the dirt path.

Intrigued, the girl shifted closer to the spectacle in hopes of getting a better look. The front of the parade was led by a highly decorated soldier, who bore two flags on his back. His peers, who only had one flag (or none), were obviously lesser in rank. Whatever rank each soldier held, they were still menacing, for each did not go without a weapon. Most had yumis on their thigh, an arrow loaded and prepared to shoot. However, a gang of four wielded long naginatas, and their blades were directed at the horse in the middle of their formation.

It was an interesting formation indeed. In the middle, there walked a seemingly average steed. Unlike its neighbors, it was not weighed down by hefty armor nor equipment. In fact, it was completely naked. Only one person sat upon its back, barren of a saddle. The rider's legs rested upon either side of the horse's belly, but a tight knot of rope snaked around one ankle, and that same rope ran under the horse's underbelly, where it wrapped around the rider's other ankle. Her wrists were bound against one another. She was blinded by a dark fold of cloth. Most frightening of all, however, were the familiar braids running down the rider's back.

It was Nina.

One horse was in front of her, two rode at her side, and one guarded her rear. The latter three, with scowls, pointed their naginatas at her, drawing frighteningly close. Nina knew better than to move, even if she could not see. To preserve her own life, she remained perfectly still, waiting for her opportunity to pounce... if such a thing was to ever bless her with its presence.

The sight sent fire to Soleil's chest, and she responded with a pained grunt. Desperate, she scrambled through the bramble to keep up with the parade, longing to never lose sight of her captured partner. Of course, as one would expect, horses on a clear path were bound to move faster than a human clumsily stumbling through foliage. With time, she lost sight of the group, and that was when she slipped into panic.

"Oh gods, no..." she whispered to herself, fighting worried tears. "No no no no no... This can't be happening..." She hoped, prayed even, that her visions were merely delusions conjured up by hunger. Deep down, she knew that was only wishful thinking; what she saw was unmistakably real. For as long as she could, she shoved her exhaustion aside and broke for camp, slapped many times by vines and thorns on her way. It did not matter how much it hurt; nothing was going to slow her. Not now. Now was not the time to be slow!

She collected their things the fastest she could after making a sloppy inventory check. While running, she worked on throwing the two bags on her back. To her dismay, the extra weight slowed her immensely, especially when all the branches around her lusted after the luggage. There was no other choice but to break out of the woods and take the road, otherwise she'd never catch up.

Come to find out, she was to never catch up, no matter what she did.

Soleil realized that sooner than she would have liked.

With her foot lame, it was impossible for her to see those horses again, no matter how much she wished of it. What she'd give to hear the thunder of the Hoshidans, her enemy. She wanted them so badly. She wanted their blood, for she knew they wanted Nina's. If anything was to happen to her... she would never forgive them. The entire nation, young or old. The hybrid of rage and fear concocted the perfect fuel for her to limp on in spite of every pain rushing up and down her body. The knives scraping the inside of her belly became nothing.

Soleil wanted the Hoshidans, but all she got was night. And day. And night. And day. She never rested, stopping only to drink. Perhaps nature wanted her to drink more; she sent rain, heavy rain, on Soleil, who ignored her message anyway. The mud clung to both her feet, the swollen one and the strong one, and she could feel her reddening face grow redder. The back of her palm felt that red, but she found it too hot to feel for long. When her lungs labored harder than they had before, she knew it was time to worry.

Wading through a pit of mud required stomping her way through. One stomp. Two stomp. The second hurt the most, for it upset her already angered foot. She yelped for the first time in the journey. One simple noise brought her out of her enraged trance, humanizing her once more. Thus, worry made a devastating return. Unable to bare with the misery any longer, she toppled onto her knees, heaving, grasping the mud beneath her with the tightest fist she could muster. In such a weak state, that fist was not tight at all.

How wonderful it felt to finally stop walking. How wonderful it felt to feel raindrops massage her feverish muscles. She negotiated with herself. She could rest for a little bit, couldn't she? It wouldn't be long. She was in a fine place to rest. It may have been in the middle of the road, but who was going to come down that way anyhow? Especially during a rainstorm...

In the mud, she buried her face, and she remained motionless.


	18. A Skirmish in a Sandstorm

In the Temple of the Wind, there stood two large, majestic doors. They were so majestic, it required one to stop and marvel at them before passing through. Fuga was of no exception; he paused before the unopened doors, clasped his hands together, and breathed in the deepest he could. He took a step inside after bowing for an exceptionally long amount of time, making not a sound as he pried the grand doors ajar.

Into the inkiness of a dark room he prodded, balancing on the balls of his feet like a stalking panther. His square shoulders did not bob, nor did his head. One would dare to say he nearly floated across the floor with the starkest frown he could muster. Three tall seats commanded him to stop, and their command was a command a man like Fuga would never break, even if his life were in jeopardy. On a dime, his hovering body came to a pause as the soles of his feet slowly kissed the cold, smooth stone floor. His deep voice rumbled after his body bowed.

"You have summoned me?"

In the meantime, Corrin also bowed, but it wasn't because he stood before a council of elders. It was actually because the wind picked up, and the only way he could keep himself in place was to plant his feet in the searing hot sand and grip with his toes. Seemingly hours ago, while wandering through the same wasteland, Xander finally approached him with a pair of boots in his hands, clearing his throat in the meantime.

"Corrin? Don't you think it's time you put on some of these?" He clacked the boots together. "They're brand new."

The age old battle: Xander trying to get boots on Corrin. It didn't work when he was seven. It didn't work when he was nine. It didn't work when he was fifteen... No! Corrin hated shoes with a passion. He wasn't wearing them. Never. Even if it felt like grains of sand were about to melt into the bottom of his feet...

When speckles of sand began to pelt them, the rest of the army attempted to take shelter as well. The Generals, Effie and Benny, hid behind their tall body shields. They were the most fortunate since the rest of the army did not carry near as much equipment to protect themselves from the wind, especially the mages, who wore thin, revealing clothing. Nyx maintained a grimace the entire time, occasionally holding up her book bag in front of her face in attempt to mimic Effie and Benny. Unfortunately, the books were too heavy for her to hold up for long, so she had to dedicate intervals of time to resting her arms. Odin, who carried nothing but a grimoire, yelped time and time again when sand prickled the bare parts of his chest.

"Yipe! In addition to venomous snakes, taverns that sell alcohol, and insects with more than six legs... I, Odin Dark, have acquainted with yet another weakness: sandstorms."

His master, Leo, who rode at his side, sighed and allowed his brows to sink. He kept his eyes forward, maintaining a careful watch over his adopted brother trudging ahead of them.

"It's not a sandstorm yet, Odin."

"Mm, imagine how spicy it'd be if we _did_ have ourselves one of those..." Niles began as Elise rode by. "Then we'd really be-"

"Niles," Leo interrupted sternly, mostly because his sister was within earshot. "Censor yourself..."

Niles only tsked.

"Of course, milord."

Further down the line, Peri screamed. For the umpteenth time in a row, a good bunch of sand blew into her eyes, and it warranted the nastiest screech yet. Hers was a noise so vile, in fact, it deterred all away from her except Laslow, who rushed up to the side of her steed and sighed.

"Again? What number is that?"

"Seven! Seven!" she exclaimed, livid. "That's seven times that damned sand's gotten in my eyes! It hurts, it hurts! Why can't I stab it? Dammit! I wanna stab something! I wanna stab! I wanna stab, stab, stab, _stab!"_

Frightened by his coworker's temper, Laslow ducked, for Peri began wildly swinging her sword. She wasn't aiming for at him specifically, she just aimed at anything that moved. To save a limb or two, he nervously crawled away from the horse, stopping only when she was out of eyeshot.

The only two to be unaffected by the weather were Keaton and Velouria, who traveled on all fours in the form of a beast. The thickness of their fur, and the hide beneath, withstood the assault as though it were a trifle. Like a goddess, the benevolent Velouria chose to bless one lucky individual: Siegbert, who rode atop her back, burying his face in her nappy fur. Without a care in the world, he clung to her for seemingly ages. Going off of his motionlessness, most suspected he had fallen into a deep sleep, one even the wind could not interrupt. A jealous Dwyer rode up to the beast's side, poked her bulky, muscular arm with the end of his staff, and coughed. Velouria looked at him, revealing her ferocious red eyes.

 _"What do you want?"_ she inquired. Dwyer had to kick his steed into a higher gear just to barely keep up with her long strides.

"I gave you my cookies, so does that make us friends?" he asked, clearly getting at something.

 _"I guess we are."_

Dwyer's expression brightened slightly at her response, which momentarily remedied the dark bags hanging beneath his eyes.

"Great..."

 _"I know you want something from me, so stop dancing around it."_

"Yeah..." He paused to yawn and stretch. "My face really hurts because it keeps getting hit by all this sand... And I'm really tired... Can I hitch a ride?"

 _"You already have a ride."_

"But I wanna ride on you."

 _"No."_

"Aw... Why not?"

 _"I don't like it when people ride on me. It makes me think you humans only see me as an animal."_

An awkward silence settled between them, filled only by the howls of wind and clinking of distant armor. Dwyer's tired eyes sunk back into cold, dreary darkness before they began darting back and forth between the beast's face and the passenger she carried on her back. Oh Siegbert, he sure looked awful comfy back there...

"But you're carrying _him,"_ he argued defiantly.

 _"So? What's your point?"_

"You just said you don't like it when people ride you."

 _"Siegbert's not a human. He's an honorary Wolfskin."_

"How can I become an honorary Wolfskin?"

 _"You can't be one."_

"But _he_ can. What's so special about him?"

 _"He's just special."_

With a grumble and a scowl, Dwyer gave up, continuing to yawn away. He kicked up a fit of coughing when too much sand jumped down his throat during a yawn, and he began spitting when he found his tongue was coated in a layer of a thousand grains.

At the front, Corrin paused at the sound of flapping wings. They were the wings of a wyvern, which differed greatly from the wings of a pegasus. If it were the wings of a wyvern he heard, he knew there was nothing to fear, for it was not a foe that approached him. He motioned for those who followed him to halt with a simple motion of his hand, and, like dominos, the message passed all the way to the rear of the line. Leo and his retainers rushed past the few standing in front of them to reach Corrin, upon whom the former looked down.

"Is all well?" the younger of the two asked. After angrily wiping his sand-filled eyes, he also shook his head. "Besides this minor annoyance, I mean."

"Looks like our scout's returning," Corrin responded, watching the shadow of a wyvern descend from the sky. The closer it grew, the more its details could be made out. Before Corrin, the beast landed, and its passenger, the normally silent Beruka, stared at him sternly. Like almost everyone else, she was covered in tiny golden beads, but that appeared to be the least of her worries. It was never like her, the girl known for her rock solid temperament, to be crabby over a "minor annoyance", as Leo put it. That didn't mean she didn't seem concerned, and when Beruka seemed concerned, Corrin knew it was best to listen. "What's the report?"

"It is difficult to see from the ground, but a dark cloud is descending south toward us. If it continues in its current direction, it will hit us very soon."

"Yeah? How big is it?"

"Big."

With a frown, Corrin turned back to his younger brother, who already glared at him. Leo knew that look in Corrin's ruby eyes. It was an expression unique to him and only him. It was an innocent, clueless look, similar to a puppy dog's, but it had a more human tone. After briefly wetting his cracking lips, Leo's eyes slid elsewhere. Odin began to fret over the incoming storm, and Niles rhythmically tapped his boot on the loose, sandy ground.

"A dark cloud in the middle of the desert... Sounds like a sandstorm to me," Leo stated.

"Have you been in one before?" Corrin asked next, to which Leo shook his head.

"My only knowledge is from books."

"What're they like?"

"Vicious, to put it lightly. If you're caught in a bad one, you can barely see fifteen cubits ahead of you. The air will get unfathomably thick, which will make just one breath a challenge. If we choose to continue as we are in those conditions, the army will undoubtably enter a state of disarray."

Distressed, Corrin turned back ahead of him. Beruka was right; he could not see the storm approaching at all. All he could see was a wall of orange and brown, but that was what it looked like all around him. Brown. Brown. Brown! All he could see was brown, and it made him feel closed in and uncomfortable.

"We need to get out of the way, then. I'm not sure if we'll make it, but at least we can try."

Leo nodded, but before he could respond, a distant voice caught the entire front's attention. Corrin heard the voice, but the sound of wind muffled it beyond recognition. He could not identify a second silhouette that flew down from the sky. However, one had a pair of eyes that were more perceptive than his: Azura, who finally departed from the crowd and trudged her way over to her leader. She gasped shortly afterward.

"Shigure's coming!" she exclaimed.

Corrin's heart burned.

"Oh no..."

"Milord, milord! I have urgent news!" exclaimed the boy riding his pegasus. The creature's hooves did not touch the sand, as it preferred to stay in flight. A sense of direness covered the boy's sweating face.

"What's wrong?" Corrin asked while approaching him.

"Without the woods to provide cover, we've been spotted by the Hoshidans! They're departing from the surrounding forests as we speak!"

Leo released a hiss.

"Dammit! And all this time I could've sworn they'd gone further west! What're they doing over here?" Though he had more to say, the determined eyes of his brother captured his own. They exchanged stares.

"I was beginning to believe this confounded desert was our enemy, but it might be trying to help us; think the Hoshidans'll follow us if we go into the sandstorm?" Corrin asked hastily.

Leo huffed.

"Hiding in a sandstorm is a ludicrous idea, but I don't know if we have any better options. Well, unless you think our troops are in the shape to take on a faction twice their size... Having a chance to avoid them is better than no chance at all."

"We need to spread the message immediately." Corrin nodded to Shigure, whose steed remained in flight. "I'm trusting you to make sure the rest of the army knows they need to brace themselves, both for the storm and the possibility of an enemy attack."

Shigure nodded back.

"Right away, milord." He took off, disappearing into the brown clouds of sand.

Further down the line, yet to be enlightened by Shigure's muffled news, Effie narrowed her eyes when the wind punched her harder than before. The soft hand of Elise spread across her armored shoulder, seeking support as she hopped off her patient steed. When her boots hit the sifting ground, she proceeded to stretch, spared from the sand when Effie held her shield in front of her.

"Aw, I wonder why we stopped..." Elise mewled after a squeak.

"I'd guess it's because the weather's getting worse," Effie replied in hopes of satisfying the girl's curiosity. "No one wants to travel in this mess."

"Nope, even worse," spoke a third voice. When the two turned around, they found Shura stumbling his way toward them. A good way to judge the power of the wind was by observing his cape, which fluttered rapidly. To their dismay, the fluttering only grew faster with time. With a hand over his eyes, the man continued. "Sandstorm's comin'. Hoshido too."

"What? The Hoshidans found us?" Effie echoed, tensing her grip on the shaft of her lance. " _And_ there's a sandstorm?"

"Talk about a double whammy!"

"Yep. We're headin' into the storm to hide. It'll be rough, and there's no guarantee Hoshido won't follow us in anyway. Just stand still and keep an eye out for any enemy troops. Pass it on." Merely seconds after Shura finished, his cape stuck straight up and feasted on his face. He growled, threw his bow on the ground, anchored it down with a foot, and began wrestling with his clothing. "Dammit."

Effie pulled Elise into her cover after receiving the news, and she slowly began making her way further down the line.

"Something tells me this won't end well for us..." She began seeking other comrades to whom she could relay the news.

Elsewhere, Arthur tripped on the tail of Camilla's wyvern, and he fell flat on his face in the sand. After a gasp, the woman covered her mouth with a palm.

"Oh dear..." she started, preparing to dismount her wyvern. However, before she could, Selena passed her by, patting her thigh in the meantime.

"I got him, milady," she reassured while making her way to the hulking frame of muscle lying on the ground. Her foot found a home on his back, but she did not apply much weight on him, especially as she gently shook him around. "Come on, B, get up. It didn't hurt _that_ much." One of her hands assisted him on his journey to his feet, and it granted him the balance he needed when the ground sifted beneath him. "What're you doing all the way down here? Aren't you supposed to be with Lady Elise?"

"Right you are, but I seem to have gotten separated from her in the midst of this nuisance. Also, have you seen my boy Percy by any chance? I need to make sure he's okay."

Selena nodded, which gave the man at her side peace of mind.

"I saw him hanging out with Owai- I mean- Odin's kid, so he should be okay. As long as Effie's with Lady Elise, there's nothing for you to be worried about except yourself. You in the loop?"

"What loop?"

"Guess not. Hoshidan troops've been spotted coming toward us, so we're taking cover in a sandstorm. Things're about to get pretty nasty." One of Selena's dual pigtails slapped her in the face, which encouraged a grimace. As she began to forcefully tuck her hair into the collar of her leather tunic, Arthur gasped.

"Gods! That means I need to find Lady Elise the fastest I can!" He proceeded to sprint off, but that was before Selena caught his thick arm and rooted her boots in the ground. Sand consumed her feet and worked its way up her shins by the time she stopped him completely.

"Not so fast. The last thing you need right now is getting yourself lost in this mess, especially with that rotten luck of yours... Lady Elise will be fine, so you need to stay here. I'm the one who cancels out all that bad luck, aren't I? I might come in handy right about now."

Arthur offered little resistance, which was why he relaxed sooner than Selena anticipated. After a huff, he tended to an itch behind his neck.

"That's certainly a fair point. I hate to leave my duties behind, but I suppose there'll be no tending to those duties at all if my misfortune got the best of me. Perhaps we can use this time to..." While Arthur spoke, a shadow appeared behind him. It started as a mere spec, but it drew closer, so it grew far bigger. Initially, when she caught eye of it, Selena thought it was a comrade, likely Shigure since he was most commonly found mounted on his flying steed.

But that shadow grew closer.

And closer...

And closer...

By the time it dawned upon her, it was already too late. Too late to warn Arthur, at least. Impulsively, Selena dropped onto the ground, where her body met a pile of sand. A pegasus swooped down, and the sharp end of the rider's naginata barely missed her. Unfortunately (or maybe expectedly), Arthur was not spared from any pain; the hooves of the passing steed kicked his back, which caused him to fall and land on his neighbor, who snarled.

"Attack! We're under attack!" she exclaimed once getting her face out from underneath Arthur's heavy chest. Panicked struggling followed when she realized her face was the most she could get free. "Get offa me, you lump!"

The word spread quickly, for clashing and clangs overpowered the howls of the newly arrived sandstorm. Velouria's ears perked the moment they picked up on such a familiar tune: the melody of war. She began ruffling her back, shaking Siegbert awake. His sleep must have been pleasant indeed, for he roused with a groggy moan, and he was only pulled back to reality when Velouria's deep, menacing growl sounded.

 _"Wake up! We have dinner to kill!"_

"Huh? Wha...?" Before he could ask any questions, he was launched off his ride's back, and he flew into the sky. Thankfully, he did not land on anything that harmed him, for he was met with soft, forgiving sand. His loyal steed, Gudrun, trotted up to his side and released a soft bray. Siegbert had no choice but to retrieve his lance and sword from the holster on Gudrun's side and figure things out on the fly.

Not too far away from Siegbert, Keaton already began leaping into the air in hopes of capturing one of many pegasuses soaring over his head. Thanks for the thickness of the air, he could not catch them with absolute accuracy, but the swarm was so thick he always caught at least one. He made sure his enemies watched as his sharp teeth sank into the horse's torso, even if the rider was still mounted. Those who escaped Keaton's razor sharp teeth were destined to fall and land on the ground below, where they were still certain to meet death; many of Nohr's forces gathered around the vicinity of the Wolfskin's feet, and they would not let a single soldier flee.

The archers had a difficult time aiming thanks to the wind, which lessened their viewing distance and pushed their arrows askew. Originally, when they intended to shoot down many of the airborne Hoshidans, their arrows ended up going elsewhere. Some pelted the ground, but others, unfortunately, hit fellow comrades. One arrow lodged itself in the hip of Charlotte, who released a roar. When she turned to find what hit her, she spitefully whacked the next enemy she could find with the most force she could muster.

"Ooh, someone's gonna get it once this crap's over..."

After witnessing the problem, Jakob rolled his eyes, gave Charlotte a quick remedy from his staff, and began to seek the shooter. He happened to recognize the shoddy, recycled arrow that hit Charlotte. It belonged to Mozu. Mozu, the girl who hailed from a village that conserved whatever they got their hands on, was the only individual in the army that returned to the battlefield after conflicts. She'd wander for hours, yanking bloody arrows out of the bodies of fallen soldiers, enemy and ally. The rest of her day would be spent cleaning them.

He found Mozu a ways away from Charlotte, legs and arms quaking furiously. Thankfully, he was able to stop her just as she drew another dirty arrow from her quiver. He did not even have to call out to her to get her to stop; their eyes simply had to meet, as that was where Mozu found Jakob's nasty scowl. She stopped everything she was doing, including breathing.

"Cut that out!" Jakob snatched the bow's front and lowered its aim, which was once pointed to the sky. "Shooting that high isn't hitting enemies. You've already hit Charlotte, and there's no telling who else you hit before her!"

Mozu's eyes grew wide immediately, and she stumbled back.

"O-Oh, I'm mighty s-sorry about that... You don't think Miss Charlotte'll be mad at me... ya think?"

"I won't tell her it was you as long as you only shoot at point blank range for the rest of this battle. I already have my hands full as things are..." A Falcon Knight swooped down soon after he trailed off, aiming for both of them. With a squeak, Mozu impulsively loaded an arrow in her bow, aimed, and fired. Luckily, instead of hitting another comrade, the arrow lodged itself right in the beast's chest, and it plummeted to the ground. Jakob stopped the rider from escaping by simply tossing a dagger from his coattail. Slightly embarrassed, he turned back to Mozu with the clear of a throat. "Thank you. Carry on."

Midori shoved past both of them, lugging her heavy trunk of supplies. She seemed out of breath, but adrenaline made her thunder on, leaving a flustered Jakob in her wake.

"Pardon me! 'Scuse me! Medic coming through!" She tripped when her sandals were anchored too deep into the sand, but stumbling spared her from falling on her face like Arthur did. She skidded to a halt when she found the one who summoned her: Silas, who had been dismounted from his steed. Both were sprawled out on the ground, suffering from an unpleasant injury, and Silas worriedly fended off an oncoming Pegasus Knight with a lance. The air had become so thick the neighboring comrades could not see Silas' predicament. Therefore, none came to his rescue, save for Midori, who leapt over Silas' body and stabbed the enemy with a lance of her own. "Get outta here, bozo!" she exclaimed as the pegasus flew elsewhere.

Once she was sure the coast was clear, Midori wordlessly skidded onto her knees and threw her trunk onto the ground. Perhaps she threw it a bit too roughly, for it kicked sand into Silas' sweating face.

"Hello, hello. The doctor's in. What's bugging you?" she announced while gently wiping the man's face clean.

Silas closed his eyes and released a grunt.

"I don't know... Maybe it's the huge slash in my thigh?" he asked sarcastically.

Midori looked for the wound, and she found it with relative ease, for a pool of blood spilled from it and began to gather on the ground. She frowned at the sight, then threw open her chest and begin to dig.

"Ooh, ooh, that looks like a nasty one. I'll whip out a nice tonic that'll make the pain manageable until the healers get here."

"If the healers get here at all..." Silas grunted again. "Before I was hit, I passed by a whole bunch of people in pretty rough shape... This battle isn't looking too good for us. We're completely outnumbered."

"Don't be a quitter. Now that Midori's on the scene, everyone'll be feeling better in no time!" Midori responded after withdrawing a vial from the trunk. Thanks to the weather, she could not read the vial's label properly, so she had to hold it closer to her eyes. It was a good thing she did, for, shortly after getting a good look at it, her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "Whoops, wrong one. Here we go." She exchanged that vial for a new one, whose top she quickly pried off after giving it a good shake. "Open wide!"

Albeit reluctantly, Silas did part his lips for Midori, who poured the entire vial into his mouth. As he started to swallow, his face immediately soured, and he mewled.

"This taste...!"

"Sorry about that. It's a brand new recipe, so I haven't had any time to work on the flavor. Good thing is you'll start feeling a lot better any second now! Just uh... don't worry when your entire body starts to feel numb."

"Numb?" Silas groaned. "I really need to talk to Corrin about you..."

Not anytime soon; Corrin was too busy with his own matters to worry about his friend, or even the rest of his army. In the small range of his vision, he could make out four, no, _five_ soldiers closing in on him, armed with long, menacing spears. Fighting against the entire gang was a fight he was bound to lose, at least if he chose to fight using only his Yato. Left with no other choice, he withdrew the Dragonstone he kept safe in his pouch, and he tapped into its radiant energy. A reptilian beast took the man's place, and its massiveness struck fear in the surrounding soldiers.

An effortless whip of the tail sent the men behind him flying elsewhere. With the sharp ends of his tall antlers, Corrin rammed those in front of him. One spear landed a hit on his metallic scales, but it was a useless endeavor, for the weapon simply bounced off of him. Corrin made sure to finish him off too while he had the chance.

Taking advantage of his new form, Corrin raced around the battlefield, assisting whatever troops he came across, especially if they seemed to be in trouble. Thankfully, those in groups of at least three seemed to fair well on their own, but several found themselves separated from the herd. If they were alone, they were most likely injured and unable to seek a partner to assist them, so Corrin took it upon himself to gently bite the back of their uniform and carry them to a place of sanctuary. When he grew tired, he found Azura at his side, encouraging him onward with her thundering song. Her soft, delicate fingers brushed against his unblemished scales as she passed, and the glow of her pendant allowed him to get a proper view of his surroundings. Above his head, he found a displeasing sight: more Falcon Knights, and their numbers teemed more than he anticipated. Around him, on the ground, snuck fiends of all sorts.

"Corrin!" Azura sounded at his side. When her song stopped, he immediately turned to her, worriedly looking her in the eye. Once, her eyes were fixed ahead of them, but now, she looked behind them, brow furrowing somberly. When Corrin also turned around, he understood why her optimism faded so quickly.

Thanks to the light of Azura's necklace, he could make out a shadow. A large shadow. A huge shadow. It made its way toward them hastily, and it showed no signs of stopping. After spending months as the commander of his army, Corrin had come to now that shape well: it was the shape of another army.

More Hoshidans.

 _"Gods, no..."_ Corrin sounded as his wings raised. _"We're already in over our heads!"_

Before he could charge at the crowd, prepared for a frenzied last stand, a figure stepped into the light. Something about him... There was something about him that made Corrin pause to stare in awe. Though the wind blew with enough fury to topple over the sturdiest General, the man who approached he and Azura stood perfectly straight. Not just straight, in fact, but sturdy. He seemed to glide across the sand, into which his feet did not sink. His sculpted arms remained still, crossed over his chest. His only weapon, a spiked club, did not depart from the holster on his back.

Corrin cautiously watched the man, who simply bowed before him. However, the enemy would not allow the two parties to meet in peace; a steed departed from the sky, prepared to drive a naginata through the visitor. An arrow departed from the shadow behind the mysterious man, and it struck the rider with a lethal blow. Not once did the man's eyes leave Corrin, even after a man landed on the ground at his side.

"Salutations," the man's voice boomed. The howling of the wind could not drown his tone as though he were a specter. "Legend has foretold of a man who changes his form to a mighty dragon, a mighty dragon of the sea. He has been chosen by the legendary blade, the divine Yato, and is destined to bring an end to the bitterest of war. Tell me, beast, are you one such man?"

After hesitating and exchanging multiple glances with Azura, Corrin chose to approach the man, steps cautious and head dipped low. Without his body to lean against, Azura resorted to holding herself up by resting on her Blessed Lance, whose shaft she buried into the ground.

 _"My name is Corrin, the adopted son of King Garon of Nohr. I've been chosen by the Yato,"_ he confirmed, which caused the man's expression to soften. His wrinkles deepened as he displayed a slight, comforting smile.

"The pleasure is mine, then. I am Fuga, chieftain of the Wind Tribe, and I have come because the elders sensed the presence of he who shall end war. He who ends war is he I shall advocate. To you do I lend my power, stranger; my people are now your people. Command them as you see fit."

Nyx renewed a glowing fireball in her hand, which allowed the allies around her to better see their surroundings. She felt plenty safe in their presence, but the adrenaline that came with the anxiety of being hit at any second came in massive doses. Luckily, adrenaline brought a wealth of energy and concentration, which she employed to help her cast an offense spell while continuing to keep the light bright. She could not fire any powerful projectiles with precision, but a few fireballs and strings of lightening got the job done quite nicely. As it began to rain Falcon Knights, she turned around to meet a presence she felt approaching her from behind. Her intuition was not mistaken, as she indeed found herself being approached, but the approacher made her pause and raise a brow.

"You're a skilled sorcerer to be able to cast so many spells while keeping that fire going. I'm kinda impressed," spoke the visitor. He was a small boy, but the rest of the details were difficult to make out because of the sand swirling between them. It was thanks to her fireball that she could make out his silhouette in the first place.

"And you are?" she inquired with prejudice.

"I am Hayato of the Wind Tribe. My people have come to aid your army in your struggle."

Nyx rolled her eyes slightly.

"I can comfortably say we need all the assistance we can get in this skirmish, but I question how much help you'd be, child. Go back home. You don't belong here yet."

 _"Child?"_ Hayato echoed, suddenly furious. "Who're you calling a _child?"_

"My, my, you retain the temperament of a child as well. I don't believe presenting any further evidence for my case is necessary."

"By the gods! If Nohrians are even _half_ as arrogant as you, I'd _gladly_ return home! If the elders hadn't commanded me to assist you..." His threat trailed off as he prepared a scroll. "Hmph. We'll see if you'll still call me a child after you've seen what I'm capable of."

"Just watch your back."

"I know that. I've been in battles before. Probably more than you've been in." A circle of light appeared in the ground around his feet, and a furious bull burst out of his scroll. It charged into the sky, where it rammed into the side of an unsuspecting pegasus. It did not defeat the enemy, but it seemed awful close to death. The accomplishment was, apparently, something he thought would justify his smugness.

"Truly, now?" She hurled a fireball at a different Falcon Knight. Unlike Hayato, she took out her target with a single hit. While watching the steed plummet to the ground, the boy's face grew redder than the tomato Leo said he'd kill for.

Niles immediately readied an arrow in his bow the second he fixed eyes upon an unfamiliar uniform. It wasn't precisely the same as the Hoshidan's uniform, but the similarity was undeniable. When it came to protecting the life of his lord, Niles was never one to take chances. Odin, who also held a kindle in his hand, stalked up to his partner's side.

"In the dark, hostile winds of the desert, which really hurts my chest by the way, the shadow of an ominous, oncoming foe approaches Odin Dark," the man narrated. "Odin Dark may be great and powerful, but he still has his limits; unable to concentrate on a devastating spell that surely has the most devastating name, Odin Dark chooses to keep a light burning so his umbral friend, Niles, is able to make the perfect shot."

"Now isn't the time, Odin. Pretentious bastard..." Niles grumbled, keeping his aim on the approaching soldier.

"Odin Dark also chooses to ignore his partner's discouraging comment."

"Hold it, you two," Leo sounded suddenly, approaching his retainers. His eyes maintained a constant, judgmental gaze upon the stranger, to whom he eventually sighed. "That isn't a Hoshidan."

Both Niles and Odin turned to their lord, baffled by his words.

"What?" Odin sounded, speaking for Niles as well.

"I recognize the emblem on his uniform. He's of the Wind Tribe, which is known for its neutrality." He smirked slightly after seeing the man attack one of their enemies. "But I suppose they aren't so neutral now, though, are they?"

As though he'd found a ladder, Corrin found himself out of the trench of dread. Uplifted by the tides, which were turning, he prowled around the battlefield, Yato clutched tightly in his hand. His shoulders stiffened when he realized he reentered a state of being alone, but he was not entirely discouraged. As a dragon, he could easily fend for himself against many foes. Those for whom he worried the most were his troops.

The howls of war grew more distant with each step he took, which would mean he migrated away from the skirmish. He did not want that, so he turned and attempted to find his way back to the action, lured by the constant clanging of metal beating upon metal. A small orange dot captured his eye, and he was drawn to it, for he had seen Nyx and other sorcerers using their fire magic to aid others in combat. If there was an orange dot, a soldier was there, so he quickly made his way toward it.

However, what he thought was a friend was not really a friend; the light toward which he raced betrayed him, for it grew in size. It did not grow in size because it literally grew; it grew in size because it drew closer to him. By the time he came to such a horrible realization, it was already too late. With fury, the fire struck his left shoulder, and flames began to consume his armor. Panicked, Corrin threw himself into the sand and proceeded to roll around in it, extinguishing the fire quickly. Unfortunately, the sand could not extinguish the excruciating pain that came with the burn, and he could not find the strength to pull himself back onto his feet. He would not get up, even as a shadow slowly marched its way toward him. The best he could do was clench the hilt of his Yato even tighter than before. He stubbornly fought the tears that involuntarily built up in his eyes.

"Gods," he whispered. "If you can hear me... If I'm to die here, at least grant my army victory. That's the most I'll ever ask of you..."

"The gods of Nohr do not listen, for they are false gods. They are blasphemous idols. The goddess who reigns over the divine Hoshido is the one true ruler. Thus, when you pray, you pray to nothing. Nothing shall hear your plea, so nothing shall remedy your plea."

Corrin's head bolted up, and he found a tall, stout man standing over him. A bright red tengu mask sheltered his face from the hostile sand, and a curved naginata rested snugly in his grip. Dread and darkness washed over the man laying on the ground, and when he attempted to bring himself up, the enemy's foot stomped on the back of his head, forcing him back down.

"Who... are you?"

"I am Commander Isogai of the Hoshidan army, the land blessed by the goddess. She has gifted us with a bountiful victory. Are you not the commander of this faction?"

Trying to get his face out of the sand, Corrin nodded.

"One of them."

"Then you must be Corrin, son of our late Queen Mikoto. You are the traitor who cut his own mother down and sided with a nation of darkness and corruption. Your head is a head I least deserve to take, but I yearn to exact justice on you for your heinous actions."

"Go on. My life means little to me."

"Does it? Tell me, then, traitor: what _do_ you hold valuable? Earthly goods such as gold? Treasures? You Nohrians are a greedy, vile race... But you are of Hoshidan blood, so perhaps you do not falter so easily at the feet of temporary things. Like a Hoshidan, you must be a man of honor, but your Nohrian upbringing corrupted you, so you give your honor to all the wrong things. Your King Garon? Your Generals? Your... army?" He felt Corrin tense beneath his feet, which made him smirk. "Yes, that must be it. Your soldiers... You care for them, don't you?"

"I do," Corrin concurred. When he attempted to move his arms, the man applied more pressure on his head. He wondered if the weight would crack his skull open. "They're like family to me, and I always have faith in my family. You're dealing with an army that's far stronger than you would ever expect."

"How precious," the commander responded. "I won't grant you even a painless, comforting death, then, traitor. With me, I bring news. It's sound, cheerful news for me, but you... you'll find it quite devastating. If your army is your family, perhaps I should call her your sister... We've caught her."

A fire, one hotter than the fire that struck him in the shoulder, consumed Corrin's chest, and his eyes darted up. The best he could, he peered into his enemy's face.

"Wh-Who're you talking about?" Corrin inquired, suddenly less peaceful.

"Your spy. The silly thing got herself caught in Fort Jinya, and she is being escorted to the capital as we speak. Our Lord Ryoma awaits her there, and he'll receive her with malice. No matter her integrity, no matter how ironclad her will, she will surrender all she knows to our Emperor. Soon, your army, your family, will dwindle at the hands of Hoshido's great army."

Corrin did not know how he lost his hearing so suddenly. All he knew was that he could not hear a thing, and it frightened him. Did it frighten him more than the news he received? No. At the sound of such dreaded news, he felt his hands quake. Anger, rage, fear, and anxiety churned in his belly. He wished to spew, but he could not. Instead, his muscles only relaxed, and his face concluded it could not break free from the ground.

"You're... You're lying."

"Believe what you must."

"No... This wasn't supposed..."

The faces of Niles and Laslow appeared in his mind. They tormented him with their furious, but somber, gaze. It was his fault. It was his fault from the moment he scouted around camp, searching for a certain braided girl that liked to hide. Because of him, the lives of two men's daughters were soon to be lost. It was all his fault.

How could he die carrying such a terrible guilt?

Antlers sprang from the man's head, slicing through Commander Isogai's foot. Suddenly shocked, the man fell onto his back, naginata fleeing from his hand. As he sat back up, he watched with dread as Corrin rose to his feet. His shoulder, blackened and bloody, was drenched in water that hailed from an unknown source. One of his arms, the one whose end did not clench his Yato, shifted into a long, sharp needle. His face morphed into a frightening, eyeless creature's, long, heavy branches sprouting from his crown. Water swirled in the air around his entire body, occasionally licking his swelling, veiny limbs. Awestruck, Isogai attempted to scramble away, but Corrin's arm, now a pole, stretched until it pierced his thigh. Isogai was forced to stop with a yelp, watching in horror as the hybrid approached him.

It was not Corrin that slew Isogai so mercilessly. It was the rage swirling inside him.

Rage drained him.

Only despair remained to give him comfort, but Corrin found no comfort in despair's company.

Slowly, but surely, his human form returned; his arm retracted itself, sprouting fingers again, and his antlers shed and landed on the sand. Alone, he gazed down at his handiwork: a bloody mess the sand gradually consumed. Quivering, the man then observed his clean, spotless hand. That hand covered his solemn face as he sank to the ground.

* * *

The sandstorm finished its course. Now that they could see again, the archers easily made short work of the horses swirling around in the sky. On the ground, the final kill went to Keaton, who howled victoriously while munching on a snack. While watching the grotesque creature with a slight amount of disgust, Xander scouted for his brother, clearing his throat as he approached them.

"Gods... It's a miracle we survived," spoke the man heavily. His brother, Leo, finished closing and brushing off Brynhildr before he turned to receive him. At his side, Niles used a staff to treat Odin of a minor, shallow wound.

"At last... Odin Dark, spawn of Tartarus... meets his unexpected demise after sacrificing himself for his lord and... friend..."

"Aw, will the widdle baby be awight?" Niles mocked while waving his staff again. "Want me to go fetch mommy?"

"Don't even mention my mother with that filthy tongue of yours!"

Leo sighed at their qualms and faced Xander.

"We have the reinforcements from the Wind Tribe to thank for that," he explained, nodding toward the uniform group to the east. Those of the Wind Tribe certainly knew their geography; they remained compact, orderly, and unseparated, whereas the Nohrian army was currently scattered all over the vicinity. Thankfully, the environment was so flat and bland it was easy to see anyone for a good ways away. Nobody was lost. "I shudder to think of how things would have turned out had they not offered their assistance."

"Hmph. Curious," Xander commented lowly. "It's out of character for an autonomous nation to interfere in a conflict like this."

"Well, I'm not going to complain about it. Right now, let's just focus on making sure everybody is accounted for."

"I agree. You're dismissed."

Leo rode off, followed by his retainers. Niles ran, but Odin limped.

"Hey! Lord Leo! My nocuous injury renders me unable to-"

"Come on, widdle baby, you can walk!"

In the meantime, Jakob rushed through the desert, passing by those calling for assistance. He did not pay them any mind, for he was on a mission: to find his Lord Corrin, who'd gone missing in the midst of all the ruckus. One soldier, Charlotte, was stretched out on the ground when he rushed past her. She obviously looked to be in plenty of pain.

"Oh _Jakob_..." She snapped her fingers at him to grab his attention, then motioned delicately to a deep cut in her exposed thigh. She made sure to exaggerate her puppy dog eyes when she pooched her plump lips. "Do me a solid, won't you?"

"Pardon me, but I've other matters that need tending."

Charlotte's facade dropped on a dime.

"Go to Hell."

"See you there."

Of every soldier that had strayed from where the majority of the Nohrian army regathered, Corrin was the furthest away. It was lucky that Jakob happened to consider going a little further than he wished, for he discovered his lord. His body, warped by the heatwaves that plagued the ground, was sprawled upon the ground, legs and arms stretched out. Beside him lay another body, but it housed far less life than his liege. Panicked, Jakob picked up on speed, and he raced tirelessly until he skidded at Corrin's side, where he threw himself upon his knees. He urgently lifted the man, shook him, and turned him onto his back. He gasped at the sight of the grotesque, clotting burn that consumed his shoulder.

"M-Milord? Milord! Are you well?" He realized it was stupid to think words would be of much help, so he waved his staff over his master's body, watching as the wound steadily began to close. Corrin's chest gently rose and fell, and it was the single sight that could possibly set Jakob at ease. As the muscles in his neck relaxed, Corrin's ruby eyes gently slid open. Jakob peered into them as he removed his gauntlets to brush away the sand sticking to the man's pale face.

"Jakob... How is everything?" he inquired, allowing himself to be groomed.

In response, Jakob smiled warmly.

"We've prevailed, milord. It was all thanks to the assistance of an allied army."

"The Wind Tribe..." Corrin attempted to rise, but he couldn't on his own. Thankfully, Jakob was there to provide as much support as he could. "I need to thank them immediately."

* * *

After being hauled out of the temple's grand room by two burly men, Jakob crossed his arms bitterly and huffed the biggest sigh he could muster. He made it particularly loud so his coworkers, Gunter, Felicia, and Flora, would notice. All three of them knew the sigh was bait, but Gunter bit anyway.

"You seem chipper," commented the elder sarcastically. Jakob's back straightened immediately.

"Of course I'm not. The confounded elders wanted a _private_ audience with Lord Corrin. It irks me that I'm not permitted to be at his side, cursed rats."

Felicia quickly blinked and cleared her throat.

"W-Well... um... It's not exactly like they haven't done us any favors... I mean, we sorta owe them a lot after earlier today."

"So I should carelessly abandon my duties and let him be alone with strangers?"

"That's a good point too..."

"There's nothing we can do besides wait for Lord Corrin to return," Flora spoke up. "Not unless you want to ruin any chances of the Wind Tribe being friendly with us."

Albeit reluctantly, Jakob concurred, shaking his head in the meantime.

Outside of the temple, the rest of the army gathered closely, too afraid to branch off on their own and explore the rest of the village. The least uneasy was Mozu, but she still was not happy; tears built in her eyes, and the battle between she and those tears ended with her raising a white flag. She buried her somberness in her palms, but it made what she attempted to hide all the more obvious. The first tender person to notice her was Forrest, and he swiftly made his way over to her, the reins of his horse in hand.

"Oh dear, what's gotten you so worked up?" he inquired, to which Mozu turned away.

"It... It ain't nothing... I just... You know... This place reminds me of home's all..." She received gentle pats on the shoulder from her neighbor until she was reduced to sniffling.

"There, there... Crying's nothing to be ashamed of. How about I take you away from the crowd for a little bit? Do a little sightseeing?" He seemed to insist, for he softly took one of her wrists and began to tug her toward his serene, chocolate steed. Though skeptical at first, Mozu ultimately failed to reject his offer.

Seeing Forrest ride off with Mozu seemed to give the rest of the army the courage to spread out and do some investigating themselves. The locals, most hard at work, appeared to take an interest in their new company. Most of the farmers, all tilling away at their dirt, went out of their way to give the soldiers a friendly wave as they passed their rows.

As they ventured through a patch of sunflowers, Camilla giggled, watching Selena and Beruka hastily clear rocks and other obstacles from her path.

"You two are just too sweet to me," she observed while rubbing Selena's head like a dog's. Beruka scampered away when Camilla's other hand reached toward her, prepared to bestow the same treatment. "A relaxing walk is such a nice way to relieve all that after-battle tension."

"It was a coarse battle," Beruka commented simply, steadily returning to the side of her liege.

"Lucky we didn't lose anyone," Selena added while brushing another pebble aside with her boot. "But Peri sure did seem like she was in bad shape..."

Like Corrin, Jakob, Gunter, Felicia, and Flora, Peri was in the Wind Tribe's temple, but she was in neither the main hall nor the elder's assembly. No. She was in another room, hissing in spitting like a cat. Her wrists were bound and tied to a cold stone slab, as were her ankles, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not escape from her captors.

"Let go of me! Now! I'm gonna kill you all! I'll kill you! I'll stab and stab and stab and stab and stab until your corpse is just a mangled heap of meat! I'll do it! I'm gonna do it! Gah! I'm gonna-" Before she could continue with her rant, one of several women surrounding her smacked her forehead with a small switch. One woman, who could best be assumed to be the matron, spoke to her in a scolding tone. Unfortunately, the scolding tone was the most Peri could interpret of the woman's speech, as the woman's language was completely alien to her ears. Nonetheless, Peri remained furious. "Damn you! Damn you damn you damn you! Ooh, when I get out, I'm gonna rip your throat out and try to hear you talk to me that way again! Rah! I hate you so much! Rah! Rah! Rah!"

Just outside the infirmary, Laslow stood still, hands crossed behind his back. He hoped it would make him small if he crossed his arms behind his back. If he were small, he was less likely to be noticed. If he were less likely to be noticed, nobody would know that he stood outside the infirmary for a reason. Peri, his coworker, continued to spew vile, violent things just beyond that door. He could clearly hear what she said. They made him flush crimson. Very, very deep crimson.

His eyes awkwardly darted to Felicia when he spotted her drawing near to him. She'd departed from her trio of coworkers to come see him, but when she arrived, she looked at him... oddly. Very oddly. Laslow stared back. Peri continued to scream, so it wasn't completely silent between them. In Laslow's opinion, however, dead silence was far more desirable than listening to Peri's seemingly endless string of threats.

"I'll lay in your blood once it's spilt all over the floor! I'll roll around in it! I'll wash myself in your blood! I'll hack off your legs and arms so you can't get away while you watch me!"

Felicia blinked several times, baffled.

"So... What's it like to work with _her?"_ she inquired before long. The question repelled Laslow's gaze.

"Well, it's... eh... interesting...?"

Speaking of interesting...

A villager was quite interested in Keaton, who was once shooting a breeze and minding his own business. When he noticed the man was approaching him, Keaton's pointy ears perked, and he gave the man all of his attention. Once he arrived, the man gazed in awe, and it wasn't long before his hands reached for those same ears. Keaton tried to fold them back, but the man captured them with his sausage fingers.

"Hey, knock it off," Keaton grumbled, surprisingly pacifistic. The man did not listen to him. Well, originally Keaton _assumed_ he was not listening. It turned out that the man simply could not understand him, for when the man opened his mouth, he spewed a language Keaton did not understand. The most he could pick out in a string of sentences was the word "Wolfskin". The man continued to talk until his words slowed to a crawl. It was then he acknowledged their language barrier, but he was not willing to give up so easily. His hand dove into his back pocket, and it returned with a fist full of silver marks. He counted out five, then presented them to Keaton, who stared at the offer questioningly.

"Um... Okay... Thanks." He eventually took the money, but, not even a moment afterward, the man directed his eyes to a pile of lumber in the distance. Most of the time, Keaton's skull was empty enough to qualify as a second convoy, but, just once, he could put two and two together. "Oh, okay. You're hiring me to do some heavy lifting. Not too bad of a deal if it means I can buy me a juicy dinner with this." He turned around to call for his daughter. "Hey, Velouria! Come lend your pop a hand with this job he got!"

Velouria was not too far away from him, stretched across the back of Siegbert's chestnut steed. Her arms and legs dangled over the sides of the beast, who Siegbert carefully led to a stray bale of hay loitering beside a barn. The girl's ears remained droopy, and her eyelids seemed unbearably heavy. The way Gudrun swayed when he walked lulled her.

"But Daddy... I don't _feel_ like it. I'm tired."

"Come on. We can get dinner afterward!"

 _"Daaaaddddy..."_

Ears folding, Keaton turned back to his employer, hands on his hips.

"Sheesh. Teenagers, miright?"

All seemed somewhat optimistic for the army... All except Corrin. Well, Peri too, but she was already addressed.

Corrin finally departed from the elder's assembly, Fuga at his side. All three of his retainers rushed to greet him, asking him question after question. Jakob, while fondling the hilt of a dagger that hid beneath his coattail, conducted a brief tour of his masters body, searching tirelessly for blemishes. He found none, but he still did not trust his judgment completely.

"Milord, did they treat you well in there?" he asked forebodingly, to which Corrin nodded his head. He masked his somber expression with a fake grin.

"Of course they did, Jakob." He forced a chuckle and pat the man's shoulder. "You worry too much."

"Milord, milord, what did they tell you?" Felicia jumped in, eager to hear the news. The answer was one thing Corrin could be legitimately happy about, and Fuga realized such. He left the explaining to him.

"The Wind Tribe is welcoming us to their village like guests. We can stay here for as long as we need."

"That's wonderful, milord," Flora smiled. "It'll be a relief to finally get a good night's sleep."

Though Corrin spent the rest of his afternoon spreading the good news to fellow commanders, such as Leo or Xander, it was challenging to keep his head held high. It drooped far too often, and when he found someone coming toward him, he was forced to cultivate the energy needed to fake it. He could only let his true nature show when he was alone or when Jakob wasn't watching. He paused in the midst of the village, watching as the sun began to sink into the ground. It had been a long time since he saw something so beautiful.

A sunset... He never saw many of those. The mountains guarding the Northern Fortress hid the sunset as if they conspired against him. But now, with no mountains in sight, the sunset was all his to watch. His and his alone. In front of such a breathtaking sight, he found the silhouette of a towering creature, a Wolfskin, toiling in the dirt with the farmers. It easily plowed rows with its ginormous hands. Mozu was there too, on her knees as she gingerly dropped individual seeds in the holes she'd poked in the ground. She looked right at home. Benny was at her side, timidly asking her if the hole he made was deep enough. Charlotte was busy screaming at Odin because he accidentally knocked over the pail of water she just delivered, and Odin amateurishly attempted to calm her. His efforts were in vein, but he was rescued by Shura, who volunteered to take over water duty.

Corrin told Isogai the truth; his army was his family. Besides his adopted siblings, they were the most family he'd ever known. Growing up in an isolated fortress was lonely, and the gap in his heart was filled by the most unsuspecting individuals...

Isogai.

What he said...

Corrin's heart grew another hole. A tiny, Nina-or-Soleil shaped hole, and it hurt more than anything. All the regret washed over him like a tidal wave, and it violently threw him around. It cracked his neck, snapped his spine, and broke his arms and legs. The pain was insufferable, and hiding it was nearly impossible. His resolve was strong enough to get him to somewhere private, but he had to be quick. Thus, he turned and prepared to find some place to rest.

The only thing that could crumble what little was left of his resolve was exactly what he found when he turned around. On the bright side, who he found happened to be in a particularly awkward wardrobe, but that did little to deaden the impact of seeing him. It was Niles, almost nude save for the towel wrapped around his waist. Even his eyepatch was gone, revealing an eyelid that was sewn shut. His arms were crossed over his glowing, golden skin, and a sly smirk found a place on his lips.

"Well well, if it isn't Lord Corrin. How are you?"

"You snake," Jakob growled disapprovingly as he jumped between his liege and the man. "How dare you sneak up on Lord Corrin in such a manner?"

"Isn't it supposed to be _your_ job to notice me?"

"Hmph. Don't turn this on me. Vile street scum like you doesn't deserve to even be in the presence of Lord Corrin, in such indecent apparel, no less! You're nothing but a disgrace."

"Jakob, Jakob..." Corrin pat his servant on the shoulder. "Why don't you go help out with whatever they're doing over there?" He motioned to the land the others helped cultivate, and that motion alone made Jakob's face sour, then mortified.

"B-But, milord... This-"

"Go on. Don't worry about me."

Before he was forced to depart, Jakob turned the nastiest glare he could muster to Niles, who smirked confidently back. He wiggled his fingers at him as he walked away, but Jakob only walked away; his eyes remained fixed on the two the entire time until he disappeared in the background. After turning back to Niles, Corrin heaved a sigh and dropped his shoulders.

"What can I do for you?" he inquired. Niles shrugged.

"I'm just checking on you, milord. Those pretty eyes of yours look exhausted. Do you plan on visiting the bathhouse? The tribe certainly has a nice one..."

"Actually, I was planning..." His eyes wandered away momentarily. "I was planning on skipping a bath today. I'm pretty worn out. Today was... frightening at best."

"Do I have permission to touch you, milord?" Niles asked spontaneously, which prompted a blush to spread across the other man's face.

"Um... Where?"

"Just your head, milord. No place inappropriate. I promise."

"W-Well... Alright..." He passively allowed the man to approach him, bury his boney fingers in his alabaster hair, and feel around. Niles feigned disgust and released a gasp.

"Oh, Lord Corrin, you can't go to bed with your hair full of sand. Say, I was planning on doing a little more relaxing in the bath... Care to join me?"

"That sounds inappropriate, Niles." Corrin didn't know why he was surprised to hear such an offer spew out of Niles. To hear it come out of a more refined individual like... say, _Leo_ , was when concern was far more warranted. But Niles? Niles practically breathed innuendos.

"No it doesn't. The bath's public. I insist you join me."

It was strange for Corrin, who was legally regarded as royalty, to feel bossed around by a mere retainer. If he had more of a backbone, which was worn away by all the events that occurred that day, he would have put his foot down and rejected the idea the moment it came up. But now... He was submerged in water. Nice, warm water. Niles wasn't lying when he said the bath felt great on aching muscles, so at least he had that going for him.

Across from him, Niles stretched his arms across the brim of the pool, rolling his head around his shoulders slowly. Occasionally, he eyed Corrin, gave him a smirk, and then acted as though he never did a thing. Corrin began to feel uncomfortable very soon. Well, more uncomfortable than he usually was when he was around Niles.

"I thought you said this place was public," Corrin uttered after noticing they were alone in the house.

"It's not my fault no one else was in the mood for a bath," Niles defended. Corrin could not find a reason to argue with him. "What an awful burn you have on your shoulder, milord. It looks fresh. Is it alright? Does it hurt?" It was a mystery as to whether or not he was actually sincere. In response, Corrin glanced at the burn Niles referred to. A large patch of his skin looked sweltered there, and it was still discolored.

"It doesn't hurt much. Jakob did a good job healing it." He flicked it a few times to prove his word, and he did not even flinch. Afterward, he looked Niles in the eye, noticing that he stared back. Again, a trademark, devious smile cracked across the tan man's mouth, and he chuckled slightly.

"I've seen you looking at my bad eye every now and then. Does it make you uncomfortable? I can put the eyepatch back on if you so please. It just feels nice to take it off while I'm in the bath." His other eye certainly was a spectacle to behold, for it was hidden the majority of the time. The skin his eyepatch normally covered was ghastly pale, for it seldom received any sunlight. It looked as if someone took a paintbrush and blotted only that part of his face. Stitches sealed that eyelid shut, forbidding it from opening again. The thought of a needle getting that close to his face made Corrin squirm.

"It's not like it's anything you can control, I guess..."

"It's been gone for a long time. Don't even remember what it was like when it was there." He shifted slightly, making the water around him ripple. "Tell you what... If Hoshidans want to call us Nohrians scum, they can start with the bastard who took that eye from me. Only true scum can cut a helpless little kid's eye out. Know what the worst part was? That bastard was someone I trusted. He took me under his wing when I was barely Percy's age. He taught me how to survive in the streets, fed me when I was hungry, gave me a warm place to sleep on cold nights... But he didn't do it out of the kindness of his own heart. Turns out he was grooming me for his sadistic little fantasies. I remember, one night, I was woken up because I felt him crawling up next to me. He stroked my face with his rough hand. He toyed with my hair. He pinched my cheek. I thought he was being friendly at first, but then he started stripping me... and when I tried to get away, he pinned me down, yanked a knife out of the holster on his thigh..." Hesitantly, he ran his wet hand through his hair. An index finger made a slashing motion over his stitches. "Bastard laughed the entire time... and then he did worse when he was done. If he'd taken out my left eye too, he wouldn'tve been able to see the pain and fear in it. That's why he left it alone. He wanted to watch me suffer and cry.

As expected, silence followed. In attempt to hide himself, Corrin sank deeper in the water, awkwardly looking around.

"Um... I'm... sorry to hear that..."

"And then, when I finally found a band I thought I could trust, I was abandoned on a heist. I thought they were my family, but I was left alone to fend for myself when security hounded us down. A damned, disposable decoy was all I was to them... They didn't care about what happened to me." More ripples in the water. "Know, it's hard for me to find someone I trust."

"Do you trust _anyone?"_

"Of course I do. I trust my Lord Leo above all things. My wife too. I trust Odin with my life, but I don't trust him completely... I attempted to do a little digging around in his past, but I wound up empty-handed, so he's a slight bit of an enigma... but a trustworthy enigma nonetheless."

Corrin smiled warmly.

"I'm truly glad. There's no better feeling than knowing someone will be there for you if you're in trouble."

"I trust you too, Lord Corrin," Niles said suddenly. "If I didn't, I wouldn't have told you any of that. I've always felt like you saw me as more than a nasty little street rat. You saw me as a human while you put up with my harassment. I feel like you deserve to know that... And I hope... that you'll never betray the trust I have in you. I hope you'll never hide anything from me... at least anything that concerns me. In return, I'll be glad to do the same."

Corrin's heart caught fire. The fire was hot. Too hot. Hotter than the fire Isogai sent to his shoulder. It burned him. He wanted to get away from it, to put it out, but no water could possibly offer any sanctuary.

Well... There was _one_ sanctuary.

Would he go toward it?

"Niles... There's... There's something I need to tell you."

Niles raised a brow.

"Oh? A juicy little secret just for me?" he purred.

"Um..." Corrin licked his lips nervously. "Yeah."

"My ears lust to hear, milord."

"I... Today... during the battle, I..." He froze, then slowly peered up. He looked the man in the eye. His hands began to quake. His chest tightened. His heart pounded. Was he going to do it? Was he going to say it? Would he forgive him? Would he be angry? He was to blame. It was all his fault. It was his idea. It was all his fault! "I saw you protecting my brother today... and I thought you were admirable out there. I don't think Leo could possibly be in better hands."

In a moment, Niles' tension melted away, and he grew a slick smile. After a chuckle, he purred again.

"What, that's all? Here I was thinking you had something more serious to tell me..."

Corrin's laugh was fake.


	19. Of Hardy Friendship and Flimsy Love

It was time to wake up. At least that's what the horses were telling her. Despite the lack of any human presence, Soleil found comfort in the stables. That's were all the horses stayed. Sure it smelled funny, but she thought horses were adorable. Especially ponies. Ponies were the cutest, but one would seldom find any ponies in a stable full of war horses.

She spent the night in the stables once. It wasn't entirely because she wanted to, though; her tent had been mysteriously destroyed, and she wasn't sure who was responsible. That didn't mean she didn't have her suspects. The day before the tent got destroyed, she made poor Ophelia cry, so that may have had something to do with it. What made Ophelia cry was her taking a step over the line. Not just _a_ line. _The_ line. She'd recklessly pranced over many lines, but never _the_ line.

But it wasn't like Ophelia to torch her tent to ashes. No way. Ophelia was just too sweet for that. That seemed more like something Nina would do. Nina was far more spiteful, always thirsty for revenge, even if it were just a drop. Ophelia, though? She was gentle and forgiving. However, recently, Soleil hadn't done anything to upset or pester Nina (mostly because she couldn't find her anywhere), so she was a very unlikely suspect. Who was, though? Soleil knew who the prime suspect would be.

Odin.

Odin was Ophelia's father after all. She was his baby. He gushed and gushed over her constantly, going through soliloquies that described how Ophelia was foretold by some prophecy...

 _"Behold! In walks Ophelia Dusk, spawn of the Legendary Odin Dark! Heralded by the stars! Delivered to the earth by creatures of neither night nor day: twilight!"_

As a father, Odin was defensive of Ophelia. One time, Ophelia got a nick on her arm during a battle, and Soleil, aiming to grace her with chivalrous deeds, rushed toward her. Somehow, no matter how fast she ran, she could not outrun Odin, who made it to Ophelia sooner. He cursed he who inflicted that slight cut on his daughter before casting the most heinous spell Soleil had ever seen. Soleil remembered stumbling back in fear at the sight of such awesome power.

So.

What would Odin do to a girl who may have harassed his daughter a _little_ too much? Burning her tent seemed like an excellent possibility. Soleil simply had to investigate in order to deliver her apologies and make peace. If she could make peace, she might not end up vaporized like the other guy.

Slowly, Soleil brought herself up, groaning in the meantime. Her skull pounded, and her entire body chilled and ached. Her eyes slid open, but the light hurt them, so she closed them again quickly. She gave herself time to adjust and wake up, but no amount of time ever seemed to be enough. When she realized she was not going to feel better anytime soon, she forced herself onto her feet. The hay beneath her made her stumble slightly, but she caught herself on a nearby post.

Again, she opened her eyes, and what she found was not something she expected to find. A pure white steed looked her in the eye. It seemed apathetic, bored almost, even in the face of a stranger. Soleil knew she was a stranger to the horse because she'd never seen it before. Never. As a matter of fact, she was quite sure _nobody_ in the army rode a white horse.

Concerned, her brows dropped, and she turned her head. Down the aisle, several horses more peeked out of their stalls, each directing their eyes at her. None of them looked familiar either. Come to think of it, the overall structure of the entire building seemed alien to her...

Uh-oh.

After grabbing both bags from the pile of hay she once rested upon, Soleil stumbled out of the stable, heart pounding furiously. Her ankle was still not past throwing fits, so she could not get far before she began to slow, anxiously taking in her surroundings. On the bright side, she did not seem to be in a very threatening place, for the stable belonged to a quaint little farm. The farm house, made from shoddy, decaying wood, was not too far from the stable, and it was not much larger than it either. Behind her, rows of crops stretched for a decent amount of distance.

Unfortunately, someone toiled in those rows, hacking away at the ground with a hoe. He noticed her. After straightening his back, he whisked away some sweat from his brow and called out to her with a wave. Whatever it was he said, he was too far away for her to understand it. She was not willing to draw closer to hear better, but he seemed more than willing to take the job instead.

He seemed charming enough. On his way to her, he bounced his way through his crops, careful not to trample any of them. His feet, light as a feather, seemed skilled in the practice, for he flawlessly ventured across the rows... except for one minor fluke, but he laughed it off quickly and refused to let it discourage him. Soleil remained perfectly still, refusing to budge, even when he got uncomfortably close.

"Hey, stranger," said the boy. She'd guess they were of similar age, but his lanky body towered over her. "Glad to see you up, but..." Without permission, he set his hand on her forehead and hesitated. "Hm... You still got yer fever, though. Feelin' alright?"

Frowning, she gently nudged his hand off of her face and gathered a bit of distance.

"Um... I feel... fine?"

"That ain't good enough. You gotta be feelin' in tip-top shape to be travelin'. 'Fya get goin' while you feel bad, you're in for a bad time." Sensing her uneasiness, he got a little distance from her as well. He bowed lowly. "N-Name's Junichi, by the way. Found ya lyin' out in the middle of the road a few days ago. You musta collapsed in the mud while it was rainin', 'cuz when I found ya, it looked like you was bein' swallowed up by the ground. Took ya here 'cuz you didn't look like you was in too gooda shape." He leaned in slightly closer. "Don't tell no one, but I put ya in the barn 'cuz pa don't trust me with gals when it's nighttime. Can you believe the geezer?"

"Th-That's nice, I..." Her eyes darted around, looking for signs of a road. A small dirt path looked promising. "Thanks for the help, but I can't really stay. See, I have a-"

"You're goin' to the capital, ain't ya?" Eyes widening, Soleil immediately turned back to the boy, and her mouth slowly sank. The boy caught on to her wonderings. "I only know 'cuz I saw yer map... It had a path drawn on it. S-Sorry to go snoopin' though your things. I was just tryin' to figure out who you was."

Shoulders sinking, Soleil turned back to him, and she attempted to hide the uncertainty in her eyes.

"I'm Midori," she lied effortlessly. It was as if it came naturally to her! "I got a... a very dear friend in the capital. Heard she's dying, so I need to make it there the fastest I can. I want to see her one last time."

"Aw... Aw shucks. That explains why you seemed so reckless. Ain't no one that'd be willin' to trudge through the rain for no reason..." The boy sighed. "Well then, Miss Midori... I wanna help ya out any way I can. Midori was my ma's name, know? Makes me feel all warm n' fuzzy on the inside when I hear her name again. Oh! But don't get me wrong, now. I don't wanna help you just 'cuz you have my ma's name; you seem like you're a nice gal."

"Th-Thanks, Junichi..." It was worth mentioning that she mispronounced his name. "But there isn't much you can do. I just need to get a move on the soonest I can. Thanks a bunch for giving me a place to stay." She did not seem to be open to discussion, for she prepared to go her own way. Junichi, however, called out to her.

"You ain't gonna make it, miss!" he said. "Not timely, at least. It's a few weeks on foot, and that's _if_ ya know the terrain 'round here. Put that on toppa havin' a fever and goin' at least a few days without eatin'..."

The thought of food made her stomach erupt with miserable groans. She was startled by the noise, but that was before she remembered she had not eaten anything besides an overripe apple. Her mouth watered even at the thought of some of the nasty dishes the Wind Tribe gave her. Her hands quaked subtly. Her seemingly stubborn will was toppled easily.

"I don't know what I'm going to do..." She began to whimper, but she stopped herself angrily.

"I... I understand this frienda yours is mighty important to ya, but... It ain't gonna be the end of the world 'fya miss 'er, will it?"

Soleil nodded softly.

"She means a lot to me. Everything, almost... I don't know how I'd live with myself if I didn't make it in time."

Junichi's brows furrowed as he looked toward the sky. It was blue and pretty, especially compared to the ugly rain that terrorized the land days before. Another bead of sweat slid down his temple and cheek, and the tip of his tongue was there to catch it. That was when his eyes went to the farmhouse.

"I see. 'Fore you do anything, though, I need to feed you. And you can't say no, 'cuz you ain't gettin' nowhere without some veggies in your body."

Soleil's empty, trembling stomach momentarily took control and made the decisions for her, which was how she ended up in the farmhouse's humble kitchen. The table barely fit in the room, so sitting at a chair made for a tight squeeze. She watched as Junichi toiled away at the stove, warming up what smelled like soup.

"Pa n' me had this miso soup last night. There was some left, so... I'm sure it'd best go to you. Hope pa wasn't countin' on eating it when he gets back."

Soleil sucked in her stomach to fit between the edge of the table and the wall.

"Where's your dad at?"

"Pa's out workin'. Tryin' to sell them horseshoes again. I keep tellin' him ain't no one nearby needs no horseshoes. They're wantin' rations for when they start headin' for the capital. You heard what Emperor Ryoma's doin'?"

Soleil attempted to squirm closer to her bags, only to discover that she was pretty stuck. Instead, she pulled the bags closer to her.

"He's letting everyone near the castle for protection, right?"

"'Sright. Once we're in the protection of the vanguard, ain't no Nohrian's gonna hurt us." He sighed, watching the leftover soup begin to boil. "'Cept the trip'll be hard if we don't have much money to use. 'Swhy I keep tryin' to tell pa we should sell the crops. Pa don't wanna help 'cuz he's afraid we'll run outta food 'fwe sell a bunch. But I'm the one in charge of the crops, and I know for a fact we got more than enough to feed ourselves! It's the supplies we gotta worry about for when we head to the capital too. Can't buy no supplies with no money."

While twiddling her thumbs and attempting to suppress her hunger (which was worsened by the intoxicating scent of the soup), Soleil glanced out of the window. The cabbages she could see were in prime condition, begging to be picked. It was a wonder how they had not been stolen by wandering thieves.

"Why don't you sell them by yourself?"

"'Sonly one me. Can't get all them crops in time 'for they go to those damned pests. 'Fi had myself a helpin' hand, I'm sure I'd be doin' a lot better..." He paused to grab a bowl from a cabinet, and, as he used it to scoop some food, a bright smile spread across his face. "Say... Wanna be that helpin' hand? We can work ourselves out a deal," he said while delivering the bowl to the table. He waited for a response, but a response was not his for a while. Soleil swallowed the soup all at once, even if it nearly melted her mouth. When she set the bowl back down on the table, empty as it was before, Junichi stared at her, baffled. "Land, stranger... You musta been hungry."

While wiping her mouth with her sleeve, Soleil nodded.

"Sorry... I hadn't had too much food before I got here."

"I oughta get you some more then." Before he even had a chance to sit down next to her, he was already back at the stove, readying a second serving. "Takes 'bout four weeks to get to the capital on foot, five if ya wanna more comfortable pace. Takes 'bout a week on horseback, though. 'Fyou help me out here a week or so, I'll pay you with one of my pretty horses in the stable over yonder. You've met 'em, haven't you?"

After guzzling a drink of water to soothe her scalded mouth, Soleil lifted her head, eyes widening again.

"E-Excuse me?"

"Yeah. I'll give you ol' Ninjin. He's strong, smart, obedient, young... All around, a darn good horse if y'ask me. He'll love ya to bits 'fya give 'im a nice long carrot. Kinda like one of them gods demandin' some sorta food offerin', hm?"

"Hey, I can't take one of your horses... Those're valuable. And expensive. And-"

"A weeka labor's a fair price, 'specially if it's for a friend in need." He set the bowl on the table again, filled once more with soup. This time, however, Soleil was not as quick to eat it.

"No way! A horse is way more valuable than that."

Chuckling rose out of Junichi, who ran a hand through his short black hair. Lots of dirt fell out of his head and onto his shoulders.

"Heh. Yain't never done much farm work, have ya?"

He was right on the money.

Farm work was a foreign occupation for Soleil, the girl who grew up in a town. The most interaction she ever had with farmers was when she ran to the market, where farmers sold their produce. Once, she and her merry band of do-gooders lended a hand to a devastated farmer after he lost his wife, but that was just one tiresome day of work. Soleil remembered hating it so much she never humored the thought of doing farm work ever again.

Junichi's soup, paired with an hour or so of rest, remedied Soleil's feverish complexion and temperature. Several times, Junichi insisted to keep her in bed for the rest of the day, but Soleil protested profusely. She needed to get work done if she wanted to get to the capital soon. The sooner she worked, hopefully, the sooner she could get a move on.

Oh, but Soleil forgot just how miserable it was to toil in the hot sun. It was after midday, and the sun was still merciless as she meandered around the cabbage fields. Rows of crops ran for as long as she could see, and that was just the _cabbage_ patch. Junichi also had carrots, daikons, and radishes to yank out of the ground. In short, they were nowhere close to being done, even with two pairs of hands. Soleil's sore ankle had a small part to play in slowing them as well.

Going off of Junichi's instructions, the two worked on rows that were adjacent to one another. That way, the two could converse to minimize the misery of sore backs and sweaty faces. Junichi's presence also came in handy because Soleil constantly had to ask if a particular head of cabbage was ripe for picking. When both had a basketful, they had to lug it all the way back to the front, where they stored the produce in the barn. The pattern got old fast. Very fast. Luckily, they had each other's company to keep things interesting.

"So tell me 'bout yourself, Midori," Junichi spoke in the middle of yet another cabbage-picking session. Initially, Soleil did not respond to her pseudonym for obvious reasons, but when her head did perk, she silently scolded herself for being so lax. Going off of her observations, the locals of Hoshido were just as prejudice as the military, so being lax was completely out of the question.

"Who, me? Nothing much, really... My parents were Hoshidan, but I was raised in Izumo."

"Explains yer funny accent. Fer a little while, I thought you was Nohrian cuzza how similar you sounded to my buddy when he makes impersonations."

"Heh heh..." Soleil reddened as her heart stung. "Um... No. I guess Izumites and Nohrians sound similar?" She could take a gamble and completely redeem the integrity of her persona, but it was a gamble nonetheless. What were the chances of her losing the gamble, though? If Junichi happened to be a farmer all his life, he was more than likely among the least educated of the entire population... Soleil was one to take a gamble that was slanted toward her favor. "Makes sense since Izumo was a Nohrian colony at one point."

"Wow. That true? I never knew."

She emerged victor in the gamble; he knew nothing about Izumo.

"Yep. That's what all my neighbors taught me."

"Fascinatin'. What's it like there?"

"It's an awful lot like here, really. It's got a real... _Hoshidan_ vibe to it. Pretty cozy. It was nice and all, but I wanted to go out and see the world, so I became a merchant. The friend who's in the capital was my traveling buddy for a long time... That's why she means so much to me. I really want to see her one last time."

She paused when she realized her hands began to quake. It was true that she lied to Junichi, but it was possible that going to the capital _was_ her last shot at seeing Nina again... if Nina even was at the capital at all. She didn't even know where Nina was, for goodness' sake! Was she fighting for a lost cause?

"Ah, so y'all're like sisters, hm?"

"Um..." Soleil's eyes darted elsewhere. "Sure... Something like that."

"Ain't nothin' to worry 'bout. 'Fher time's come, she'll go up n' meet the Goddess in Heaven, and when yer time comes too, you'll get to see her again."

Their conversation died. It became slightly awkward, but only slightly. Soleil was simply not the type of person to feel awkward. The harbinger of awkwardness seldom experienced awkwardness after all.

When an evening breeze swept by, Junichi drank in a sweet breath and sighed heavily. He rose from hunching over, straightened his back, held out his arms, and let the wind caress his body. It easily dried his skin, once sweaty. However, there was one place where he was still quite hot: his torso, so he began unbuttoning his shirt.

"The Goddess's bein' mighty gentle on us today. She must like seein' you n' me workin' together," he said after slipping out of the top entirely. He bunched his top into a ball and tossed it into his basket as though it were another head of cabbage. Curiously, Soleil looked up, taking notice of his flat chest and belly. He certainly was not fat, nor muscular, but he looked exceptionally healthy. Her eyes brightened shortly after studying him.

"Hey! Great idea!" She began unfastening her top as well, much to Junichi's chagrin.

"N-Now hold up! What- why're you- _wait!_ _"_

Too late; Soleil had already tossed her top into her basket as well, staring at him innocently.

"Something wrong?"

Junichi had turned around to avert his eyes.

"A-Ah... It's just... Ya know..."

"What? It's hot out."

"W-Well..." She could not see it, but his face was beet red. "It's hard ta stop lookin' at a pretty gal with no clothes on. Can't get no work done 'fI'm busy starin', right?"

"That's easy. Just don't stare. Back in Izumo, the baths were public, so I was pretty much surrounded by naked girls everyday. I really wanted to, but I hardly ever stared... mostly because I always got slapped if I did. But if I can handle that, you can handle it too."

After going back to work, it took a while for Junichi to finally ask Soleil to put her shirt back on. When he did, Soleil laughed at his request before compromising with him: if she put her shirt on, he had to put his on as well. He accepted the compromise fairly soon. While watching him hurriedly slide back into his sleeves, Soleil released a chuckle and narrowed her eyes.

"Heh heh. You must think I'm _really_ pretty if you're getting this worked up," she told him while slipping her head through the collar of her tunic.

"You're an awful fit gal. Ain't gonna lie to ya. Does bein' a merchant get yer arms that big?"

"What, these arms?" She pretended to act modest as she rolled a sleeve up and flexed. "Nah. I used to lead a band back in Izumo."

"Pa knows how to play the shamisen. What instrument did you play? Musta been one hellava instrument if it worked out yer arms that much."

Soleil paused her cabbage picking to stare at him, utterly puzzled for the moment. She blinked a few times before everything clicked in her head.

"Oh! No, no. Not _that_ kind of band. It was a band of _mercenaries_ , for a lack of better words. We were all over the place because of how often we got hired... All that work made me pretty good at swinging a sword around." Her hand dove into her clothes. For a moment, Junichi was afraid she'd pull her shirt off again, but all she did was whip out a short katana: her trusty kodachi. Obviously interested, Junichi leaned closer and motioned to hold it. Soleil granted him permission.

As he observed the weapon, eyes wide, the boy cleared his throat.

"My, my. This looks like it's one of them military weapons. Know, I almost got yanked into the army, but pa got me off the hook since he needed me on the farm. Pa wouldn't have no food to eat if I wasn't here to tend to the crops. Boy do I thank my lucky stars; I never wanted to be in the army. Lotsa scary faces in there, and everyone I've met that came outta it ain't the same person they were before. Pa's a good example. When you meet 'im, you'll know exactly what I mean."

Junichi's father reminded her an awful lot of Gunter back home.

He was a hardened, crusty old man that could never wipe the grimace from his face, even in the lighter times. That was the very first thing Soleil noticed when a wagon came rolling up to the farm at sunset. When Junichi lifted his head to observe their visitor, he jumped with joy and snagged his basket. Though his basket was not yet full, he began carrying it to the front of the farm anyway.

"Pa's home! Let's go tell 'im hi!"

"O-Okay!" She grabbed her basket too, hoping they were done with harvesting for the day.

Junichi's father did not greet Soleil happily, for his grotesque, aggravated face turned to her. Soleil's eyes widened as Junichi pat his father on the shoulder.

"Hey, pa! Know that gal I found lyin' out in the dirt? She finally woke up!"

"Hmph. Young lookin'. Got the charmin' eyes of a Sazae-oni..." he spoke gruffly. Soleil thought Junichi's accent was thick, but his father's was an entirely different beast.

"Pa!" Junichi scolded. "Don't call 'er that! She's a nice gal, and her name's Midori like ma."

"Hm? She ain't Midori, though. She ain't stayin' long I hope."

"A-Actually, pa..." Junichi motioned for Soleil to stay where she was as he followed his father into the farmhouse, eventually leaving her alone. After standing for a while, Soleil autonomously decided to deliver what few cabbages were in her basket to the barn.

The next time she saw Junichi, he carried a lantern, for it had become completely dark. He knocked on the wooden frame of the barn's entrance to get her attention. Luckily, she was barely asleep on her pile of hay, so she awoke in time to receive him. Thanks to the bright glow he handled, she did not trip on anything when she went to meet him.

"'Evenin', Midori. Sorry 'bout takin' so long. Had to spend a little time convincin' pa to let you stay 'round. I'm thinkin' he got a pinch sympathetic when I told him 'bout yer friend in the capital. Didn't seem like he had a problem with you helpin' out 'round here either." He held out a plate of dinner for her. After she took it, he lowered his lantern. "Would ya complain if I came inside?"

Soleil promptly shook her head.

"I mean, it's your barn, so you can do whatever you want."

"Fer now I'll just say it's yers and the horse's. Hate to intrude on a pretty gal's privacy."

"Privacy? I don't care. It's not like I'm ashamed of anything."

"I noticed..." He hung the handle of the lantern on a nail protruding from one of the horse's stalls. The horse inhabiting that stall was dark brown, healthy and fascinated. Junichi motioned to it. "This here's Ninjin. Ain't he got the cutest little eyes on 'im? He looks 'round like a curious puppy dog. 'Slike he's tryin' ta make sense of the world. He's a smart little thing, so it ain't gonna be long 'till he does."

At his side, Soleil nervously reached out to touch the bridge of Ninjin's long face. With plenty of trust, the beast pushed into her palm, studying her carefully. She looked back, reminded of the many times Sophie attempted to get her to ride Avel. Soleil didn't trust Avel. She just _knew_ Sophie was setting her up, trying to get her on Avel so he could take her far, far away. It was payback for all the times Soleil bothered the mess out of her.

"He kinda is cute," she agreed.

"When we head to the market, I'll let ya ride him there. You'd besta get used to ridin' him 'fya plan on lettin' him take ya to the capital." He turned to her afterward. "Know, you did a good job today. I'm impressed. Most people I know, gal or guy, don't normally have it in 'em to be farmin' all day. Got some good stamina in ya."

Proudly, Soleil straightened her back and puffed out her chest slightly, nodding in the meantime.

"It's not so bad when you're used to being outside a lot. I've spent a lot of my days practicing with my sword and walking. It came in handy when I was chasing down baddies in town, and it still came in handy while I was alone in the countryside. Thieves are everywhere, I tell you!"

"That _might_ also come in handy when we start to sell too... I've had a few people take a carrot 'er two without permission while I'm in town. Mosta the time it's just dumb little brats, but nothin' can really stop a big guy like pa from takin' what he wants. I'll be relyin' on ya to keep an eye out for anyone who tries to take somethin' that don't belong to 'em."

"Easy." She beat a fist on her chest. "I can take care of them."

"Well, ain't that swell! I'll be able to sleep good 'night." His eyes accidentally fell on the pile of alfalfa where Soleil once slept. Her bags were next to it, compact and tidy. "Oh... Sorry 'bout makin' ya sleep in the barn too. I know it ain't the coziest, and the smell..." He scratched behind his head. "I told pa we shouldn't make a pretty gal like you sleep in a musky ol' barn, but he seemed pretty set on keepin' ya out here."

With a shrug, she shook her head.

"It's not that bad in here. I've had to sleep under trees on the way here, so this is pretty nice in comparison." She chuckled, remembering the time her tent was mysteriously torched. "Besides... I've slept in a few barns before. It's nothing new to me."

"Gods, Midori..." Junichi started. He turned to the side because he started to turn red in the face. To hide his blush completely, he walked around the rest of the barn, acting as though he were checking to make sure all the stalls were securely closed. "You're just the strangest gal I've ever had the pleasure of meetin'. A-And I mean that in a good way! I think strange is good. Ain't nobody wanna hang out with some borin' ol' prude."

"Ugh. I've known a few," she agreed before holding up the plate in her hand. "I'll go ahead and eat this and go to bed. I'm pretty tired after today... Mind if I bring the plate back to your house tomorrow?"

As though it were a cue for him to leave, Junichi commenced his departure at the sound of her words, nodding in the meantime.

"That ain't a problem at all. Hope you enjoy the food. You earned it today." He paused at the doorframe of the barn, hesitant. "By the way, um... Midori... I trust you 'nuff to let ya stay here. Hope my judgment ain't gonna bite me in the tush... 'cuz uh... It'd be pretty darn easy to run off with one of them horses in the middle of the night..." He looked back at her, watching as she began to munch on a cooked carrot with her hands. She stared back at him when she noticed him staring as well.

"I won't do that," she said. "A deal's a deal."

Her words put a soft smile on the boy's face, and he finally turned his back on her.

"Comfortin' to hear a gal that's true to her word. 'Night night, Midori."

* * *

After a couple of additional days of hard, strenuous labor, Soleil could finally see the town of which Junichi often spoke. Of course, in order to get there, they had to load up a pair of horses with wagons, both packed down with plenty of produce. While hitching the goods to the beasts, Soleil released a whistle and marveled at their handiwork.

"Sure is a lotta food."

"Town's called Kurosawa. Got probably the biggest tradin' post in the area. Where there's lotsa trade, there's lotsa people. Almost always sell a bunch when I take my stuff over yonder. Some people're buyin' carrots for snacks while they travel, some're buyin' to take home... Hell, I've hearda some people that come all the way from Kiso 'cuz our prices're cheaper."

Soleil was slightly familiar with riding horses, as she had been trained during her time with the army. Combat on horseback, however, was simply not her style, so she neglected to pursue the practice. Instead, she remained on the ground, cutting down foes as a member of the infantry. That did not mean she forgot some core aspects of horseback riding. With some assistance from Junichi, she was on Ninjin's back in no time, and the two were off for Kurosawa before the sun began to rise, carts in tow.

True to Junichi's word, Ninjin was a gentle, steady horse indeed. He did not jerk or go directions he preferred to go, which was strange because he came off to Soleil as having a strong will. Soleil had a strong will too, so perhaps Ninjin could sense that her will was far stronger than his. Regardless, he often obeyed without question. Occasionally, her hand stroked his neck as a reward for his cooperation throughout the trip.

Soleil and Junichi spent their time exchanging stories and bits about themselves, which proved to be quite effective when it came to passing the time. More often than not, Junichi's questions inevitably led back to Soleil describing Nina, who Soleil renamed to Mozu.

"I met her a while ago during my vigilante days. She was a thief! A skilled one. The guys and I almost missed her on the night she broke into this estate we were hired to guard. We only caught her because of how outnumbered she was, and we took the liberty of dragging her somewhere where we could keep her. Threw her in a room somewhere and held her prisoner until she'd talk. But there was something about her that really stuck out to me... Something that fascinated me."

"Yeah? What was that?"

"No clue, but she sure turned out to be pretty interesting. Ever read 'Robin Hood' before?"

"Sorry. Can't read."

"Robin Hood's a character that stole from the rich so he could feed the poor and hungry. Mozu was the same, except I'm pretty sure she's way more cunning than Robin Hood. Not a selfish bone in her body. All she wanted to do was help people who couldn't help themselves." She asked Ninjin to pick up speed when she noticed Junichi was getting too far ahead of her. "I decided to let her in my band once I realized we had similar goals. I didn't have any regrets, because she turned out to be a great help to us. She's a fine girl... I admire her. Even when the band finally broke up, we stayed together and decided to become merchants so we could explore the country."

Junichi chuckled.

"Certainly like 'er lots. Yer puttin' yerself through lotsa trouble to go see 'er again."

"I need to be there the soonest I can. I'm willing to take any means necessary."

"Boy, oh boy. Can't wait 'till I find myself a gal I can feel that way 'bout. Ah, not sisterly, of course. Not like you and Mozu. I mean a gal I can dote on." Right on cue, his cheeks grew rosy. "I always wanted to have myself a wife. Used ta make me the gladdest thing to see ma and pa holdin' hands back in the day... They were just the happiest folks in the world, I'm sure. Pa was almost always smilin' back then..."

"Love'll do that to you," Soleil responded, cheeks tinting red.

"Hey, hey. Wanna know a secret 'bout that?" Junichi leaned near to her as though someone were around to eavesdrop on his cherished knowledge. Playing along with him, Soleil leaned closer too.

"What?" she asked lowly.

"Ma and pa weren't in love!"

Soleil's eyebrows raised, for she was legitimately taken aback.

"Huh?"

Again, Junichi chuckled, returning to his original posture on the horse's back.

"Uh-huh. Ma and pa didn't love each other. That's 'cuz they were more than lovers. They were best friends. By itself, love ain't nothin' more than a fire; burns bright fer a while, but it'll die down eventually. Love's so temporary. Yuck. It don't stick 'round long. 'Swhy ya hear all them sad stories 'bout gals runnin' off with other guys or guys runnin' off with other gals. Their flame just got reduced to coal's all. Par for the course." She noticed his eyes growing soft. "Love ain't nothin' compared to friendship. A friendship can easily tear apart love, but love can't tear apart friendship. Love's just all petty like that. Ain't hardy."

When they arrived at Kurosawa around midday, Soleil and Junichi struggled to plow their way through quite the crowd of people of all shapes and colors. Junichi's horse, a content old mare, didn't throw even the slightest fit in the midst of the commotion, unlike Ninjin, who threw occasional quarrels when children scurried underneath his belly.

Soleil thought they wandered aimlessly at first, but that was before she realized that Junichi appeared to follow a certain path as though the pattern was not new to him. He definitely knew where he was going, but where he was going was beyond her. However, things became clear when they began approaching an area containing multiple lots. In those lots, vendors guarded their small shops, screaming at every passing customer (including them). Soleil assumed they wandered aimlessly again, searching for a spot to stop and set up shop. Again, she was proven wrong, for Junichi stopped before a seemingly random shop and released a long, tired groan.

"Gods, again?" It was the first time she heard him sound angry, and it was quite off-putting. The vendor at the particular shop, an unattractive, pudgy man, jabbed a pinky in his ear, dug around, and wiped his finger on his pants. He probably would have wiped his finger on his shirt if he had been wearing one. And he needed to be wearing one. Not just because the sun was exceptionally hot out on that autumn day.

"Hey kid! Move yer horse's big rump! Can't sell nothin' if no one can see my damn shop!" the man snarled, rising from his rickety stool. What the man dubbed a "shop" was nothing more than a collection of useless wood trinkets. Judging by the abundance he had, it seemed as though he hadn't sold anything recently.

"Yer parked in _my_ lot, pops. Git on outta here." Junichi responded, equally hostile. In the meantime, he yanked a yellowing scroll out of one of his shoulder bags. He handed it to the man so he could see, and, as expected, the man immediately opened the scroll to investigate. A smirk appeared at the very corner of his lip.

"Know what this says, son?"

"Yeah. Says the fifty-seventh lot belongs to me. _I_ paid fer it. Git yer shop offa my lot!"

"This don't say that, son. Says here the fifty-seventh lot's open to the first man who gits there."

"Thasa loada cow manure, sir! Got that paper after buyin' this lot 'till the enda the year. Says it's mine."

"Boy, can you even read?"

Silenced, Junichi reddened, and his brows steadily began to furrow. He caved and whipped his finger toward the girl on the horse behind him.

"Nah, but I know _she_ can," was all Junichi said to him. Taking his words as a command, Soleil urged Ninjin closer to the vendor, where she retrieved the scroll from the man. While unraveling it, she cleared her throat, as if anticipating to read aloud. She did not, for she found her answer at the very bottom paragraph, which was written in indelible ink. She closed the scroll and promptly handed it back to Junichi.

"Yeah. It's a deed to the fifty-seventh lot," she stated calmly, noticing the fifty-seven carved in the pavement next to the man's stand.

"You lie. Can't believe you. Good ol' honest country folk lyin' like this..." The man eased closer to Ninjin, narrowing his eyes as he fixed them on Soleil's round face. "Hm. Speak again fer me, gal."

Soleil anchored a brow.

"Why?"

"'Cuz. Yer accent ain't settin' me straight. Sounds Nohrian to me, and if yer Nohrian... Well, we know what _that_ means. Means yain't nothin' but lyin' scum, so yer word ain't worth a single mark."

"The gal's an Izumite, thank you. Ain't none of yer business to go snoopin' 'round her background anyways. Deed says this lot's mine, so git."

After raising a brow, the burly man crossed his arms and looked up at Junichi, defiance in his expression. Soleil knew things were about to go downhill the moment she saw a familiar glint in his eye, so her teeth immediately began chewing on her bottom lip.

"Know what, son? I ain't gonna. Ain't nothin' you can do ta make me move either, so scram. Git yer silly little 'reader' to go trick someone else inta movin' fer ya." To solidify his point, he sat himself back down in his stool, arms remaining crossed. The bottom of Junichi's eyelid twitched before he exchanged glances with his neighbor. He shrugged, evidently irritated.

The next thing either of them knew, Soleil slammed her fist on the man's table, causing a disturbance in his merchandise. The man's eyes bore into hers. She bore into his, unblinking. It was a fight she did not want to lose. Not here. Not now. She was the one with the stubborn will after all. She won the battle when the man blinked, but he did not stay humiliated for long; when their eyes met again, he smirked and released a hearty chuckle.

"What 'cha lookin' at me fer, girly? Gonna do somethin' ta me since yer husband can't? Big fella like me ain't easily persuaded by little gals."

Her face remained stone cold... until she smiled back. Confidently. The smile eventually evolved into a full-fledged grin, feeding off his slightly puzzled reaction.

"I've sent dozens of men twice your size running home to mommy."

The man attempted to mimic her tactic of smiling, but he was not as effective as her. It was to be expected since she was the one who perfected the art in the first place.

"What'dja use?"

"Something like this." Moving only her arm, she reached into her clothes to unsheathe the kodachi, which, while tight in her grip, also slammed against the table. The entire time, her eyes remained glued to his. He could not stare at her for as long as she could, for he observed her weapon with prejudice.

"Threatenin' me, now, er ya?" asked the man lowly.

"No way. Just challenging you to a little duel. First one to almost land a lethal blow's the winner. Winner gets the lot."

"N-Now, Midori, this sounds awful unnecessary..." Junichi sounded from behind, uneasy. Soleil did not seem to notice him, or she simply ignored him. In the meantime, the man's frown returned to a smile, and a chuckle rumbled in his throat.

"No cryin'. 'Fyer gonna play a man's sport, you gotta take a loss like a man."

"Right back at ya."

As expected, the hefty man landed hefty blows, but he lacked in speed. Soleil's kodachi could hold out for only so long against his weapon, a longer katana, so she was forced to utilize her speed against him. Lucky for Soleil, she happened to be a fine balance of speed and strength, especially when compared to her brutish opponent. She drew confidence from the small crowd of spectators that gathered around them, watching with both excitement and horror. In that crowd, there was Junichi, about as frazzled as he looked.

But Soleil was not frazzled. No, she was quite excited, dancing around like her father as she fluidly evaded the man's swings and thrusts. She could not dance because she had no rhythm, but she certainly had a knack for anticipation. With each dodge, she saw the man grow visibly flustered, which transformed into frustration. Over the cheers of the crowd, he grit his blackening teeth and spit on the ground.

"Come on, gal, git over here n' hit me yerself!" he exclaimed, realizing she'd been toying with him.

"Okay," she responded coolly before barging into the fray. He saw it as an opportunity to attack, but it was really just a trap; with his arms raised, she swiftly smacked the side of his ribcage with the broad side of her sword. She did not strike hard enough to injure him severely, but he did seem rather uncomfortable. He yelped, and when his free hand went to cover the site, she simply struck the other side next.

He left her no time to do anything else, for his frustration finally turned into fuming, steaming rage. He swung his blade protectively, but the kodachi caught it just in time. In a standstill, the two stared one another down, pressing against the other's weapon.

It was a mistake to give Soleil even a moment to think, for she cracked a devious grin before long. It was something the man found foreboding, and for good reason: not too long into their standstill, Soleil simply slid her sword downward. The man would have had the perfect leeway to allow his katana to come crashing down on her, but she simply was not there. She dove between his legs, both spaced wide enough for entry. In doing so, she pointed her sharp kodachi up, broke the cloth of his trousers, and tore a wide hole on her way back up on the other side. The last victim of her destruction was his belt, which her blade easily sliced in two.

The spectators, men, women, and children alike, suddenly roared with laughter, for the man was without his trousers. When she turned back around, Soleil had to release a chuckle too, especially as the man scrambled to collect the ruined material gathered around his feet. He scowled and made a beeline for the nearest hiding place, which, as far as she knew, was not near at all.

With time, Junichi was able to work his steed through all the hustle and bustle, where she met Soleil in the middle of an excited crowd. They threw money at her, most of which she failed to catch, and reached desperately in attempt to touch her. Basking in the attention, the girl beamed at her newest guests, who stared at her strangely.

"I ain't gonna try ta git on yer bad side, Midori. Nice goin'."

"He sure left in a hurry. Too bad he forgot all the stuff he wanted to sell," she shouted to him.

"Nah, that's fine. We'll sell 'em for 'im 'till he gets back."

During the days they sold Junichi's produce, Soleil managed to fetch him some extra money by charging for duels. Many, in attempt to either polish or improve their ego, took on her challenge, but every opponent failed to outsmart or outmatch Soleil's swordsmanship. She humbled herself before her challenger after victory, but, once they disappeared, she turned to the nearest girl and gave her a flirty flex. In the background, it rained money.

It got to the point where Soleil found heaven: she was surrounded by all the young pretty girls, all doting on her like a puppy. When Junichi observed her ecstatic expression, he anchored a brow and cleared his throat loud enough for her to hear. Lucky for him, Soleil did not have to take too much of a hint; after hearing his call, she snapped out of her trance and shook her head around.

"Oh! that's right!" she said while leading her paparazzi to Junichi's humble, but bodacious, stand. "Thinking about buying some groceries today? My friend and I harvested these. I'd love it if you got some. Here. First piece is on us." All she had to do was fish out a few carrots and flash a charming grin to score a huge sale for Junichi.

When the sun began to set and all the traders started to pack up their goods, Junichi and Soleil loafed around their stand, almost barren of the produce they brought that day. While running his pocket knife over a thick block of wood, Junichi whistled sweetly. Soleil sang along to his tunes before she was asked to stop.

"Know, Midori, ya got quite a way with the gals 'round here," Junichi spoke lightly.

"Weren't they cute? The short brunette one was my favorite. It's a shame to see 'em go..." Soleil responded dreamily. Her words drew a laugh out of her neighbor.

"Gods, ya truly are a strange one. Hope you can patronize 'em again tomorrow. Ain't never sold this well in one day before, and I surely wouldn't mind gittin' used to it."

"We'll have to see about that. Sometimes those're just things you can't do on command, though. It's all about luck, patience, time, and opportunism..." She turned her head to him. "So how much longer do you need me?"

Hesitantly, Junichi leaned back, careful not to fall off the log he called his chair. His rough hands delicately rubbed the little stubbles on his chin as his eyes turned up to the golden sky. A hint of sadness hid itself deep in his irises.

"Ain't so sure yet. Probably just another day 'er so. I'll have to hold up my end of the deal after that, don't I?"

"It'd sure be nice."

"Shucks. Don't know why I'm soundin' so selfish. It's the least I can do after all this help you've given me..."

* * *

In the glowing light of the lantern, Soleil threw a saddle atop Ninjin, who excitedly brayed in his stable. Holding both of her bags, Junichi watched, a dark emotion gathering in the pit of his eyes. Like a teacher, he spectated to make sure Soleil properly buckled and strapped the saddle onto the steed. He was glad to say she passed the final test.

In the heat of the silence, his hands began to quiver violently.

"Know, Midori... I..." he started, but he failed to finish. Soleil turned around to look him in the eye.

"What's up?" she asked, silently pressuring him to continue. "Sad I'm leaving?"

"Th-That's the thing, see... Don't think there's ever been a better week in my life than the one I just shared with ya. Who woulda thought I'd find myself one of the most exceptional young women just layin' out in the road, huh?"

Soleil chuckled at his question, scratching a patch on her face.

"This whole ordeal does feel a bit surreal... With how peaceful it is around here, it almost feels like I'm in some sort of happy limbo. Am I sure I'm still alive? Maybe I _did_ die out in the rain... Lemme check." She pinched herself shortly afterward, applying as much pressure as she could until she yelped from the pain. A relieved laugh left her as she nodded. "Whew, that's good... You _are_ real, Junichi."

"Ain't that swell? So... I take that to mean ya like it lots here?"

Soleil nodded while gently taking her bags from his hands. While fastening them securely to Ninjin's saddle, she continued:

"It's a good place to be. It's away from all of life's problems. Simple, really. A place where you can just go to... well... _live._ A place to appreciate the simple things in life." As she spoke, she was not aware that Junichi drew closer behind her back. So close, in fact, they were face to face when she turned back around. Startled slightly, she yiped again, but laughter followed.

"Know, after you go see yer friend in the capital, what do ya say 'bout comin' back here? I can always use a helper... But even better, I think we'd share just the grandest life. M-Midori, I... I think I... I think I _really_ like ya!"

Coloring, Soleil remained still, only blinking.

"Like... a friend, I guess?"

"Naw. Like a _best_ friend. Like how ma liked pa." He paused for only a moment, likely to catch his fleeting breath. "Yer one fine specimen, ya know? Yain't like most gals. Ya don't mind gittin' all nitty and gritty. Kinda like yer 'nother one of them guys, but ya still ain't quite like them guys. Still got a hinta beauty n' grace to ya. Ain't never seen a woman quite like you. Makes ya super special in my book."

She was completely at a loss for words, reddening to the hue of a tomato. That was okay, because Junichi was just as red. They remained still, exchanging the heat of their embarrassment with one another until one worked up the bravery to speak.

"Oh, Junichi..." Soleil started. "Those were some really sweet things to say..."

"They're sweet 'cause they come from the heart. I mean 'em truly."

"I don't question that in the slightest, but..." At that dreaded "b" word, she saw the spark in her suitor's eyes fade. She hesitated about continuing. "See... oh, boy, this is a bit complicated... uh... well..."

"Now, don't be shy. You ain't supposed to be the shy type. 'Fya can't come back, just say so. I'll understand. No need to explain why."

"N-No, I feel like you have the right to know. Even if we've only spent a week together, I feel pretty close to you." She furrowed her brows with determination and looked him in the eyes. "Junichi, I think you're a sincere, kind, and generous person. There's nothing that can make me think badly of you... And being with you was a real treat..."

"Uh-huh... But...?

"But... You see... eh... I'm not exactly... um... _into_ people like you..."

Junichi frowned, utterly bamboozled.

"Whatcha mean by that, Midori? Don't like farmers? My funny accent? My... erm... embarrassin' education...?"

"No, no, no! You're a fine person! It's just... boys. I don't think I'm really into 'em."

"I'm gonna need ya to elaborate."

"You know... The deep voices, the flat chest, the rigid outline, the tallness, the short hair, the sticky sweat, the... uh... That's just not something I'm attracted to when I'm looking for someone... you know... to get romantic with. It's nothing against you personally. Honest!"

She saw Junichi's eyes widen, and the crimson on his face grew even deeper. She didn't even know it could grow deeper. Perhaps it was unhealthy, for he became rigid, almost locked in place.

"O-Oh my..." was all he could utter after a while of thought. "So... 'Fya ain't gonna go kissin' on some fella, that mean ya... ya wanna go kissin' on some gal?" When she nodded, he retreated to his state of stillness. "O-Oh my... Yer one of them folks pa don't take mucha likin' to. Them fellas who dote on other fellas and them gals who dote on other gals..." She panicked when tears started welling in his eyes.

"J-Junichi? I-I'm sorry, was that something I shouldn't have told you?" she inquired worriedly, but Junichi simply shook his head.

"Nah, don't pay me no mind," he replied, audibly distraught. After sniffling, he picked his head back up. "M-Midori? I'm real sorry. Honestly!"

"What for?"

He grabbed her shoulders tightly.

"I used ta be just like pa, bein' all mean to folks like ya. I used to hate 'em with all my guts. Used ta think they was nothin' but backstabbin', thievin', lyin' things... But... But I don't hate y'all no more! Not no more since I've gotten to know ya! Yain't nothin' but 'nother human bein' just tryina make it in this gosh darn world. Gods, I feel awful, hatin' on you folks for no reason..."

"There's no need to apologize... Chin up." She gave him a trademark grin. "Things are just the way they are, aren't they? No sense in getting hung up about it. I'm sorry things didn't exactly work out the way you wanted them to."

After wiping his tears away, and sniffling some more, Junichi smiled back.

"Naw, naw, Midori! Don't be sorry ya don't like me the way I like you. Remember what I said before? I'd take friendship over love _any_ day. I know we'll always be good friends, and I couldn't ask for anything more, 'cause I can count on knowin' there ain't gonna be much that can tear that kinda bond. Ain't nothin' more comfortin'. So long as yer my friend, I ain't gonna be sad. Heck, I'll be happier than a goofy ol' lark!"

A pair of arms, which swiftly took him captive, caught him off guard. Blinking awkwardly, Junichi stared up at the ceiling before finally computing that he was being embraced. Without a word, he gently pat Soleil on the back, laughing somewhat nervously.

"You gonna believe me? That's just the sort of thing I needed to hear. Took a while for it to get through my thick skull," Soleil told him happily, a joyful grin displaying her pearly teeth. While withdrawing from the hug, her hands roughly took him by the shoulders and shook him around thoroughly. "Thank you _so_ much, Junichi. For the horse, the food, the lessons... I don't think I can repay you fully."

"Bah. 'Course you can." Junichi's own hand softly pat his shoulder's captor. "Git on out there n' see yer friend. That's what I want. 'Slong as yer glad, I'll be glad."

Soleil's last moments on Junichi's farm was in the cover of night, mounted atop Ninjin. Armed with a lamp full of fuel, a map damaged by the rain, and plenty of food, she steered herself away, leaving behind long, barren gardens. Junichi stood in the midst of the farm, watching as the trees swallowed her whole. Long after the golden glow of her lantern disappeared, he remained, basking in the moonlight.

* * *

 **Trivia: I thought about naming this chapter "Triple Contractions". I decided not to. That would be silly.**


	20. Acquainting with One's Inner Hoshidan

With his noisy retainers, it felt like Takumi could never get any peace. As a prince, he got what he wanted most of the time, but it felt like he could never get what he _really_ wanted, like some peace and quiet. Spread across his bed, the best bed the housing quarters of the Great Wall of Suzanoh had to offer, he tried once again to bring a fresh zelkova leaf to his lips. Before he could blow, Oboro grumbled again.

"For the last time, blockhead, you can't move that piece that way!"

"Whoa! Like, at least cut me some slack, won't ya? I'm still pretty new at this."

Takumi couldn't blow on the leaf. Not now. Not with the constant stress stemming from that noisy pair across the room. They sat on either side of a game board, staring down at it like a vulture over dying prey. They studied it intently. Perhaps too intently. Takumi knew he was in for more as Hinata's fingers hesitantly picked up one playing piece.

"Okay... Can I move it this way?"

"No."

"How about... this way."

"Still no."

"Alright. So it's got to be _this_ way."

"This piece can only go _here_. Got it?"

"But why? Horses don't move like that in real life. Haven't these guys ever seen, like, a real horse or anything?"

Takumi chose to silently watch them until he was noticed. He could easily speak up and immediately have their attention, but there was little challenge in the sport. Keeping watch over the wall was, to put it bluntly, boring. Nobody came through except for fleeing countrymen. No Nohrians in sight. No Nohrians meant no challenges, and Takumi practically lived for a challenge. It was what would allow him to prove himself worthy of everyone's adoration and praise.

Those retainers hardly paid him any mind no matter how long he stared at them, wretched things. They only continued to bicker over their game. It seemed to mean the world to them, but he knew that wasn't the case. He did not know that wasn't the case because of intuition; he learned it. When a knock sounded from the other side of his door, Oboro's foot immediately shoved the table, board, and pieces away. It flew to the other side of the room and landed with a crash. Both she and Hinata bolted to their feet, weapons ready as they rushed to the door, where they gazed questioningly at their master. Takumi, fairly relaxed, waved only a single hand at them.

"Let 'em in..." he sounded apathetically. Their visitor didn't arrive with any exciting news, he was sure. Just daily reports on the number of immigrants passing through the wall.

However, who he found at the doorway was not who he anticipated. It was a man. A man he recognized. Granted, he couldn't _quite_ recall the name attached to the face, but he recognized the face nonetheless. Already, it appeared that Takumi was in for something less routine. As the prince rose from his bed, abandoning the zelkova leaf, the visitor dipped his head the lowest he could.

"Good evening, milord."

"Weren't you stationed in Fort Jinya? Has something happened to my sister?" The boy asked somewhat urgently. It relieved him to watch the man gently shake his head.

"The news must not have reached you, milord. Shall I explain?"

Explain the man did. En route to the wall's keep, which rested deep underneath the massive structure, Takumi, Oboro, and Hinata listened as the general spoke. Twice, Takumi had to catch Oboro by the collar of her garment when she accidentally slipped on the keep's dank stairs.

"We captured a Nohrian spy infiltrating the fortress no more than a week and a half ago. She's just as unpleasant as a Nohrian can get."

"And you're requesting to use the keep... Are you en route to the capital?"

"Yes, milord. My men have tirelessly traveled for a week to get this far. They deserve a good night's rest after all the vigilant work they've done."

Oboro, proud of catching herself after slipping again, straightened her back, naginata held tightly in her clutches.

"I'm glad you've brought this Nohrian spy." Her face contorted upon uttering the name of such a vile nation, but it brightened again when her mind wandered back to her lord. "My Lord Takumi has been in need of stimulation ever since we were stationed here."

By the time she finished speaking, they had arrived at level ground: a cold, dreary prison. Its walls, made from rotting wood, were infected with moss and mildew, and bugs aplenty scurried away from their feet. After observing such an unpleasant place, Hinata shuddered and cleared his throat.

"Whoa, milord. This isn't a fitting place for a prince like you. Maybe we should... eh... go back up?"

"No. I want to meet this Nohrian spy. If she's a spy, she must have plenty of valuable information." Finally. A challenge for Takumi to tackle. In the past, he'd watched his older brother, Ryoma, crack open tough spies. Like clams, those spies remained shut, but the fury and power that radiated from his brother blasted their shells wide open. Takumi never admitted it to anyone aloud, but he admired that side of Ryoma. This was his chance to be just like him- or even _better_ than him!

The general, albeit reluctantly, guided the trio down the hall. The further down they traveled, the more a putrid stench plagued their nose. Oboro coughed a few times in attempt to escape the smell, but it proved useless. Before they all became lightheaded, they arrived at the very end of the dungeon, where a glowing torch watched over the final cell. Inside that cell, they could make out the silhouette of a body: the spy. She faced the front of the cell, but she did not look at them. She kept her head down, knees kissing the filthy floor. Her wrists remained tied behind her back.

"Behold, milord: our spy."

"Petite thing. She'll be easy to break." Takumi smirked as he reached for the keys hanging from a nail that protruded from the wall. However, before he could grab them, the general gingerly took him by the wrist and cleared his throat.

"Erm... Milord... Before you venture in there, I would make a humble request."

"Spill it."

"I've been made aware of your tendency to... eh... lose your temper quite easily. It is in the nation's best interest to keep the spy in healthy condition, lest we'll surely lose an invaluable source of information. When she arrives at the capital, she will immediately be treated by a Diviner, and that information will effortlessly become ours."

When the prince's nose wrinkled, the general backed away slowly. Just when the man thought he was safe from the boy, two hands gripped either of his shoulders, scaring him out of his wits.

"Just let Lord Takumi do as he pleases. He knows how to handle these sorts of things," Oboro sounded from behind him. Somewhat anxiously, the general gently nodded his head, and they turned to watch as Takumi applied the keys to the cell's iron door. Once he gained entrance, Oboro and Hinata abandoned the general to follow their lord into the room, guarding him intently.

Against his expectations, the spy remained exceptionally still, even as he drew nearer... and nearer... and nearer... Once close enough, Takumi could observe that half of the spy's body, including her face, was covered by a burlap vegetable sack. It disappointed him that he would not get to see her eyes. Surely, they would be filled with fear as she cowered in his presence.

"What an unusually quiet girl," Takumi commented.

"She wouldn't utter a word to Chief Tactician Yukimura. Not even after he briefly tortured her. The girl is fiercely loyal to whoever has sent her," the general explained from the outside of the cell. "It's also possible she is sleeping. Shortly after arriving here, I commanded for her to be fed."

"Sleeping? Not on my watch." Takumi clapped his gloved hands together, producing a thunderous boom that echoed throughout the keep. "Wake up, you filthy Nohrian!"

The spy did not even flinch, which sparked an anger in the boy. When he watched Ryoma interrogate his spies, he could make them flinch just by looking at them. How was he supposed to surpass his brother if he couldn't make this spy even react to his presence? "Dammit. Think you can make a trifle out of me? You're a damned fool to think you can!" Impulsively, the boy reached down, snatched the top of the burlap, and yanked it off the prisoner, revealing her body for all to see.

The room went quiet.

Their 'Nohrian spy' was nothing but a sack of hay and a head of cabbage.

Both Oboro and Hinata looked over their master's shoulder, eyes widening. They didn't know how to react, so they kept their lips sealed tightly. When the time was right, all three turned around, glaring at the general behind them. His face was completely white, eyes just as wide as saucers, if not wider. While his retainers were busy staring the man down, Takumi returned to the substitute and gave it a hefty kick. As expected, the bag of hay simply flopped over, and the cabbage rolled onto the ground, dirtying its bruised leaves.

"What is this?" the prince asked sternly, legitimately baffled.

"I-I...I..." The general was at a loss for words.

"Well?" Hinata pressured him to speak up.

"Im-Impossible! Some careless fool must've made it to where she could escape!"

Oboro shrugged.

"If she's a spy, she probably knows a thing or two about picking locks. This keep's pretty old and outdated too, I've heard."

"Well don't just stand there!" Takumi bellowed. "She couldn't have been out for too long, so that means she's probably still here somewhere in the wall! Find her!"

Wordless, the general rushed ahead of them, scaling the stairs before they could. However, rushing was not the best way to climb those moist, slippery stairs; seconds after he disappeared into the staircase, they heard his body crash onto the floor. Oboro couldn't help but chuckle darkly.

"So, like, where do we even start, milord? She could be... like... _anywhere_ in this place!" Hinata spoke up. As he began to depart from the cell, Takumi crossed his arms tightly. A slight smirk appeared on his lips.

"We start by spreading the news to all the hands we have available. Then, we make sure all the exits are blocked off. We'll box this girl in one way or another." The boy paused, drinking in a long, healthy breath. "Ah... This is just the sort of sport I needed right about now."

Soon enough, the keep was empty again, leaving the door to the cell wide open. After all, it wasn't as though they were interested in entrapping nothing but a head of cabbage and a bag of hay... But that wasn't all Takumi and his company left behind. While they were in the cell, the poor souls forgot to look up, where they might've found a shadow hiding in the corner like a preying spider. Once certain she was spared from an audience, the shadow dropped to the floor, dexterously landing square on her feet. After clinging to the wall for so long, it was to be expected that her hands were covered in icky black mildew. She ran her palms over her clothing, then smirked deviously as she wandered leisurely to the cabbage on the floor. She set her foot, also covered in mildew, on the vegetable and sighed.

"You know, I really hate cabbage. But you... You're not so bad."

* * *

It was only a matter of time before an entire parade of panicking immigrants began to pile at Suzanoh's gates. They screamed, shaking their fists at the soldiers who stood on the other side. All the constant shouting made it difficult for the news of the situation to spread.

"I'm sorry, but we're temporarily in a lockdown. Nobody can enter. Nobody can exit," explained one guard, stoic in the face of a fuming farmer, who stood on the other side of the iron bars. The man seemed tempted to toss his torch into the mess.

"It's come to this, has it? Turning yer back on the nation? Them Nohrians're comin' right for us! 'Fya'll don't let us through, they'll plow right through us. They'll kill us men and steal our women! Let us through!"

The soldier's face seemed pained, but his partner set a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head.

"Remember. These are Lord Takumi's orders. We cannot let the spy escape at all costs."

"You're right..." sighed the weakened soldier. "It's just... seeing all these people... They're terrified for their lives. They all remind me of mom and pop back at home. Just couldn't imagine what I'd do if they were in this sort of trouble."

"Your family's safe in the capital, aren't they?"

"Yes. The Goddess has truly blessed me and my family."

They smiled at one another, comforted by the other's support. In the face of a crisis, they knew, holding tight and sticking together was the best they could do. How it comforted their restless souls, both caught in an unpleasant war. Theirs was a strong brotherhood...

The third soldier really liked that.

"W-Wow. Do the two of you... ehe... have a thing going on or something?" asked the third soldier, beet red and sweating profusely. The other two turned away from the rampaging crowd as their brows furrowed. They both stared at the newcomer coldly.

"Just who're you?" asked one guard. He was justified to find the soldier strange. Though women were not forbidden from the military, it was still an anomaly to find one in uniform. Secondly, the girl in particular seemed oddly young to be armed with an intimidating weapon like a katana. A shiny, silver katana at that. Poor thing barely knew how to hold it properly.

"New recruit. My second day here. It's pretty exciting to be guarding our Great Wall." She brushed a long braid over her shoulder as she spoke. "Now, let's get back to that little heart-to-heart the two of you were just having. Don't mind me, I'm just watching. You can continue."

One guard dropped his brows.

"You're not supposed to be here. Two per station. No more, no less."

The girl gave them a puzzled expression.

"Then where am I supposed to go?"

"If you have nothing better to do, at least find a partner and go out on patrol. The spy that's on the loose needs to be found as soon as possible."

"Oh! Right! The spy! How could I forget about her?" She dashed up a flight of stairs, leaving the two guards to go back to dealing with the rioting countrymen. With all the ruckus going on, the girl easily hid herself in plain sight, gritting her teeth and muttering beneath her breath. "Yikes. Word about me's spread pretty quickly around here. Lucky I found this uniform to wear."

Actually, she didn't _find_ the uniform, as she had put it; she stalked it first, waiting until it left itself defenseless and alone. That was when she pounced and robbed a soldier blind. She used the rope from her prison cell to gag his mouth and bind his wrists and ankles. It took doing, but she managed to drag him to the nearest, and darkest, corner. A barrel and a clique of crates solicited in that corner, but she only took advantage of the former. After turning it on its side, she stuffed the body of the unconscious (almost naked) soldier into the barrel. Finally, with her feet and legs, she shoved the barrel upright again. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at all. She felt worthy enough to clap her hands together, congratulating herself.

As to be expected of Hoshido's most famous landmark, the Great Wall of Suzanoh was gargantuan. Down hall after hall she wandered. She attempted to create a mental map of the area, but several forks in the road easily got her lost. It was as though one hall kept multiplying into more halls. And more halls. And more halls! A crawling sensation on the back of her neck made her restless, hot flashes racing up and down her body. Nonetheless, she kept her cool. She was Nina after all; a thief descendant of another great thief. It wasn't in her nature to panic unless the water _really_ started to boil. It would be a while until that happened, she comfortably predicted.

Unlike a rich man's villa or a wealthy estate, the wall was not full of too many valuables besides the many weapons lined neatly across wooden racks. She wasn't interested in finding something fancy anyway. What she truly coveted was some sort of exit she could somehow exploit. With the lockdown in place, such a thing would be difficult to find, but she was awful capable of making unorthodox means of escape. She simply had to lay low and be careful until an opportunity showed itself to her.

When she came across a room, she made an effort to peek her head inside and look around... all in the name of finding the spy, of course. At least, that was what her story would be if she crossed paths with a fellow soldier. Most rooms were barracks, consisting of cheap, unoccupied beds, but she did stumble upon what looked like a storage room. Spears, swords, and armor alike were lined across the walls. She made sure to securely slide the door shut when she stepped inside, eyes cautiously scouting for any unwanted guests. Once she was sure she was alone, she went to work.

The room housed a handful of barrels, but they were filled to the brim with supplies, so she could not hide in them. Besides, she wasn't entirely interested in finding a place to hide. Her best option was camouflage. She spotted the first problem when she passed a bucket of water, into which she peered to gaze at her reflection.

Two long, braided strands of hair flowed down her back, almost touching the bottom of her hips. They were certainly denoting, which would be an issue if the general from Fort Jinya remembered to make that part of her description. If that were so, the whole wall would soon know she had braids...

Nina sighed as she unsheathed the katana on her hip. She held it up, studying how it reflected the golden glow of a torch hanging from the wall. The pad of her index finger caressed the sharp end of the blade, and she delicately applied pressure. Not even a second later, she released a hiss and ripped the finger away, observing the blood now welling out of a cut.

"Yikes, this thing's sharp. It's definitely gonna get the job done." But the job made her hesitant. Those braids represented nearly a decade, almost all her life. They revived memories of her room in the Deeprealm. Every once in a blue moon, she used to sit on her bed in that room, allowing herself to be groomed by her father. When she was too young to do it herself, he often pulled her long hair into a pair of tight braids. He always thought they made her look good.

To rid herself of the reminiscence, she violently shook her head and rubbed her eyes.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," she reminded herself. Promptly afterward, the katana's blade found itself behind her neck, slicing through thick strands of hair with ease. When its job was done, it returned to its sheath, and Nina released a heavy, burdened sigh. Her hand went to feel for the braids that were no longer there. The sensation was so foreign she almost panicked.

All there was to do with the excess strands of hair was to hide them. Hiding, however, was not enough for Nina. Being a thorough girl when she worked, she wanted to make sure they were never found. All she had to do was hold the tip of the hair to the torch for it to quickly catch fire, and she patiently watched the flame eat its way up the strand until it grew frighteningly close to her fingers. It was then she simply dropped what was left into the bucket of water.

With that said and done, she returned to the racks, where she scouted for more tools. A helmet, which rested amongst others of its kind, caught her fancy, and she immediately made it part of her new uniform. It covered her hair almost perfectly, save for a few bangs that peeked out, and it made her face seem less narrow. A yumi would certainly come in handy since she was nowhere near adept when it came to fighting with swords. She grabbed a quiver and stuffed it with arrows, then began working on tying it to her waist...

Until her sharp ears caught a dreaded noise: the sound of the door opening. She whirled around instantly, and she found an unpleasant sight: two men and a woman, all armed with menacing weapons. The leader of the three, a boy with silky, silver hair, approached her with a scowl, and his followers guarded him vigilantly. Nina's heart froze the second she realized who it was.

"Ah! My prince!" Her spine straightened, bending only to allow her head to dip in his presence. Fists firmly on his hips, the prince observed her face closely.

"What're you doing here?" he interrogated harshly.

"I-I figured the spy might've been hiding in here." She remembered to fake an accent. It was not a good accent, but she was left with no other choice than to make the most of it. "I couldn't find her, so I went ahead and restocked my arrows just in case I-"

"Don't you know you aren't supposed to be alone? Everyone is assigned a partner."

Drawing her hands over her chest, she locked eyes with the boy before turning her head toward the floor. She blinked a few times nervously.

"I... think there was an uneven number of soldiers, sir."

"Whoever was in charge should've known to put you with another pair if there was an uneven number! Gah! What did Ryoma put me in charge of here? A circus? Who's responsible for you?"

"S-See, I um... I'm a new recruit, so I'm not quite familiar with everyone's names just yet. If I saw the guy, maybe I can... uh... you know..." Olive eyes nervously gazed back up to light brown. The prince appeared as though he were prepared to snarl, but that was before one of his followers, the dark-haired woman with the naginata, approached him from behind. All she had to do was set a hand on his shoulder to calm him.

"Now, Lord Takumi. This sort of stuff happens a lot, so it's nothing to worry about. I'm sure she'd do fine with us."

"Yeah! Like, now that the spy's loose, she might be gunning for your highness' head. The Nohrians could've sent her on an assassination mission for all we know! You need as much protection as we can get!" the other, the man with the intimidating sword, chimed in.

Takumi, while furrowing his brows, cross his arms hesitantly and judged poor Nina, who cowered before him. Occasionally, her eyes darted around the room, plotting a means of escape if things took an undesirable turn. She made sure to keep her intentions well hidden, though, as Takumi gave off unfavorably perceptive vibes.

"I want your name," he said simply, to which Nina hastily replied:

"Mozu."

"Mozu..." He nodded his head toward the doorway as he turned toward him. "You're coming with me. Oboro. Hinata. Keep her in plain sight."

Nina ended up leading the herd as they prowled through the hall, and Oboro and Hinata remained at either of Takumi's sides. The first time Nina awkwardly peeked over her shoulder, Oboro took her naginata and jabbed her back with its sharp tip, withdrawing a yelp.

"Here's a little tip, greenhorn: if you're given the privilege to guard Lord Takumi himself, don't think you can get away with slacking. Keep your eyes forward and your weapon ready. You never know when trouble may show up."

Wordless, Nina dug into her newly obtained quiver and loaded her yumi, allowing the shaft of the arrow to rest on the riser. In the meantime, her eyes narrowed distastefully, for a few annoying pangs continued to erupt in her back.

"According to our general, the spy is young. Teenaged, presumably. That's good. Teenagers are pretty stupid in comparison to adults."

Hinata, somewhat awkwardly, glanced at his liege.

"But... Lord Takumi, you're a t-"

"Shut up, Hinata," Oboro snarled. On a dime, her voice returned to softness. "What else did the general say about her? The more we know, the better."

"He also said she had white hair." Nina's chest ached immediately. Never before had she been more grateful for a helmet. "It's long and braided too. That'll definitely stand out." However, Takumi followed up with a heavy sigh. "Except I'm sure she's at least clever enough to take them down, so we should be looking for someone with long, wavy hair."

"Lord Takumi..." Oboro sounded slyly. "Since when did a boy like you know that braids make hair wavy?"

Takumi responded with flipping his ponytail in the air, smirking playfully.

"Forgetting about this? My hair's been long ever since I was a child," he stated. "Not to mention mother loved playing with it. Hinoka liked to keep hers short, and mother thought Ryoma was too manly to have his hair played with. She begged and _begged_ me to let her braid it for almost every occasion." Eventually, his walk came to a pause. Oboro and Hinata immediately stopped at his side, but Nina needed to time to notice and backtrack. Takumi's head began to hang as he released an even heavier sigh. "It annoyed me a lot back then... and I was cruel. I... wish I could apologize for treating her that way."

Hinata drew near to his liege, but Oboro drew nearer. One of her arms wrapped around his torso and pulled him close.

"Don't worry, Lord Takumi," she assured him. "She'll be avenged. Soon, all of Nohr will pay for what it's done to your mother _and_ Hoshido. We'll start with catching that spy."

"That's the spirit!" Hinata cheered. "That spy isn't getting out of this wall. She'll be ours again in no time."

Pulled out of the mire, Takumi nodded softly and proceeded with long, confident strides.

"Right. You're both right." He frowned when his eyes fell on Nina again, who had turned around and watched intently from a distance. "Ahem. Mozu? Aren't you supposed to be keeping watch?"

"R-Right. Sorry." She scampered further down the hall after her party picked up its pace again. Words occasionally attempted to leave her mouth shortly afterward, but they almost always fell flat. Eventually, though, they did work up the strength to escape. "Was... Lord Takumi's mother... um... hurt by Nohrians?"

"She sure was," Hinata replied. "But not just any Nohrian; his older brother Corrin killed his mother!"

The familiar name sent fire to her chest. She was so consumed by the shock that Oboro's angry hiss went completely unnoticed.

"Hinata, don't you think that sort of information's a bit _private?_ _"_ she inquired before ramming her naginata against Nina's back again. "Keep your nose in your business, alright greenhorn? Just do your job."

"Oboro, Oboro..." Takumi groaned while taking hold of her spear by the shaft. Gently, he lowered it, directing its aim away from the girl in front of them. His feet took him to Nina's side, where he silently glanced over at her hands. Her left hand clutched her yumi by its grip, while her right held the butt of the arrow just below the nocking point. "Speaking of Nohrians... you hold your arrows like one."

Eyes widening, Nina turned up to the boy.

"R-Really now... How do you hold yours?" she asked, noting his own yumi and quiver. Without a sound, Takumi withdrew an arrow with finesse. He could place its butt in the string without looking, and he effortlessly drew it back. Both the string and the arrow, strangely, glowed a curious teal color, but that was not what was meant to hold her attention. What she was supposed to see was how his fingers were vertical when he drew the arrow. Her own fingers, however, were horizontal.

"This is the traditional torikake draw," Takumi explained coolly. "What you're using is the Nohrian draw."

Nina slapped on a grin.

"Oh, of course! The torikake draw! My big brother showed me that technique when I was younger, but I ended up being more comfortable with the Nohrian style." Takumi appeared to buy it since he calmly retired his aim and replaced the arrow in his quiver. He simply shrugged.

"Whatever betters your performance, I suppose."

It felt like Nina constantly scraped by their suspicion, but that might've been because she teetered on the edge of completely losing her composure. If she wanted to make it out alive, she had to become a Hoshidan in both body and mind. To start, she unknotted her shoulders and relaxed.

That's right...

She was no longer Nina. She was Mozu. She enjoyed eating flavorless rice balls and soup that had no meat or vegetables in it. She wore stockings while she wore her sandals, and she worshipped that 'Amateersu' woman. She didn't call a bow a 'bow', nor a spear a 'lance'. That was stupid. And she definitely preferred to eat using a pair of sticks. If she had to keep telling herself the same thing until she believed it, she would: she was a Hoshidan.

According to Takumi's directions, the quartet arrived on the bottom floor, where they stopped at a large, well-lit room. Unlike most of the rooms in the wall, it was spacious, but most of that space was taken up by cabinets, tables, and chairs. A wide cubby shelf covered almost all of one wall, and it was stuffed with neatly-stacked scrolls. Crates and barrels loitered in a darker corner, their contents unknown. Some detailed maps of the continent hung on other walls. One scroll, which was unraveled and pinned on the table in the center of the room, caught Nina's attention.

On one section of the map, around the Wind Tribe's territory, a cluster of black game pieces were bunched together. Surrounding the wasteland, far more white pieces stalked through the forest. A variety of groups, both black and white, roamed the rest of the continent in no apparent pattern. Most notably, the black clusters were almost always smaller than the white.

While Takumi went back and forth between an unraveled catalog and counting the number of scrolls in the cubbies, Oboro approached Nina. The butt of her naginata met the ground, and she propped herself against it, leaning toward the other girl in the meantime.

"Since you're a new recruit, you probably don't know much about the war situation, eh?" asked the woman confidently.

"Not really." That was partially the truth; back with the Nohrian army, not many of the younger recruits were allowed to take part in the war council meetings, including her.

"Let me learn you a thing or two." Oboro's finger harshly stabbed one of the black game pieces. "The black ones are the Nohrians. We're the white. This map sorta tracks where everyone's at on the continent. It's not precisely accurate, of course, but it's close."

"Time out," Hinata sounded as he too approached the map. "You tellin' me the Nohrians wiped out the Wind Tribe and're occupying their territory?"

"Wouldn't put it past them," Oboro responded as her face scrunched again. "You can't honestly expect them not to commit war crimes, can you?"

"I sure wish that were the case," Takumi sighed from the cubby shelf. He returned to the catalog and tapped the ends of a few more scrolls. "The Wind Tribe decided to break autonomy and take sides; they aided the Nohrians against Isogai's faction in a very messy battle. A lot of Hoshidan blood was spilt on that desert, and it's all thanks to them. From now on, the Wind Tribe is our enemy as well."

Nina had to fight a smile.

They were still safe. Corrin and the others were safe. As he swore, Chieftain Fuga pledged his loyalty to Corrin. There wasn't a doubt in her mind everyone was in the protective territory of the Wind Tribe. Such wonderful news was exactly what she needed. Her capture had indeed dampened her spirit, but it dampened her spirit with oil. A spark ignited in her, and she was consumed by a giddy, confident blaze.

"That's not a good thing, newbie," grumbled Oboro, who had noted her sudden burst of vigor. "Quit smiling."

"I know it's not, but judging by how much the Nohrian numbers are dwindling, it's safe to say I know why we have a spy on our hands. The Nohrians are desperate for some sort of advantage- any advantage. The spy's here to collect lots of our information."

"Welcome. Glad you could catch up with the rest of us," Takumi huffed while turning from the shelf. "Of course the spy's here for information. That's the reason we're in this room- to make sure she hasn't taken anything yet. If she hasn't found a means of escape yet, she'll definitely be on the prowl for information she can scoop up." The catalog, once unraveled, was curled back into a compact scroll. "Doesn't look like she's checked this place out yet, though; everything's still here."

"Sounds like we'll be settling here to puppy guard, then," Hinata concluded.

"No, we can't." Takumi shook his head, ponytail swishing behind him. "I still have to be on the move throughout the wall so I can know what's going on. I _am_ the one giving the orders around here after all."

"Lord Takumi!" Nina exclaimed, zipping to her temporary leader. The speed at which she approached the boy ignited Oboro's temper, and she went after her immediately. "We can't just leave all this stuff here, can we? The spy could be anywhere, even near here! What if she-" A yelp spilt from her mouth when Oboro smacked the back of her head.

"Do _not_ approach Lord Takumi and scream at him like that!" she snarled. Detached from most of the drama, Hinata shrugged and tended to an itch on his head.

"I mean, the new girl's not wrong, though. We can't just leave all this stuff unguarded, even if it's for a few minutes."

Nina slithered away from Oboro and arrived at Takumi's other side.

"Precisely. So why don't you let _me_ guard this room while you go about your business? It's not like you need me around to protect you; your retainers are _way_ more experienced than little old me."

She thought she sounded quite convincing, but that was before Takumi's gaze hardened, especially as he looked deep into her eyes. Regret flooded into her head, especially as she reviewed what she'd just let spew out of her mouth. Now that she thought about it, her words were unpleasantly forceful and insistent. The look Takumi continued to give her almost melted her skin. She sort of hoped she would melt. If she melted into nothing but a pile of goo, she could easily slither between the cracks in the walls and make her escape.

"There's a reason I wanted everyone to be in pairs, you know," he said deeply. The deeper his voice went, the more his dark eyes seemed to glow. "The Nohrians wouldn't send a stupid spy. By now, she's probably disguised herself as one of us. She could be posing as any soldier in this wall. _Nobody_ is allowed to be alone."

With wide eyes, Nina slowly nodded to show she understood. In the nick of time, the relaxed Hinata chimed in.

"Guess that means we gotta take all this stuff with us. Think there's not too much to carry?"

Takumi's harsh eyes left Nina so they could land on his retainer.

"No. We have plenty of means to move it."

His means were fairly simple: stack the scrolls inside a spacious, and vacant, trunk they pulled out of the corner of the room. All four took turns making brisk trips between the box and the cubby wall. The metal containers that protected such precious information made satisfying noises when they clinked together at the bottom of the trunk.

"So... what sort of information's written on these papers?" Nina inquired in the midst of their busywork. Oboro "accidentally" bumped into her on her way back to the wall.

"Rosters, maps, letters... it's a mess of information, really. We also have a lot of intel on the Nohrians recorded," Takumi replied after carefully dumping some scrolls into the box.

The Hoshidans could certainly do with suddenly _losing_ that information, Nina believed. Her meticulous mind plotted ways to hoard the trunk to herself. As if he colluded with her, Takumi seemed to make her goals a reality. Nina failed to notice how the prince summoned Oboro to him, where he pulled her face close to his to transact a low, inaudible whisper. As her lord spoke to her, Oboro occasionally glanced at the girl, who continued to work with Hinata and deliver the final handful of scrolls to the trunk. The two sealed the box tight as Takumi pulled away from his retainer, whose face had colored red with both embarrassment and temper.

With only a clear of her throat, Oboro made her way over to the trunk and secured two straps on its sides. Using the straps, she hoisted the box into the air and eyed Nina forebodingly. Nina got a chill when she realized she was being stared at.

"Turn around, newbie," Oboro commanded. For the time, Nina was not one to argue, which was why she immediately put her back toward Oboro. Unexpectedly, the straps holding the trunk landed on her shoulders. The trunk, surprisingly, was not as heavy as she anticipated, especially after seeing how many scrolls had been stuffed inside. The weight that made her muscles stiffen belonged mostly to the trunk itself, being crafted from a finer species of wood.

Unfortunately, since the weight caught her by surprise, the trunk pulled her to the ground, and she began to flail like an overturned turtle. Takumi's lips parted slightly at the sight. His eyes rolled frustratedly as Hinata snickered.

"Man, you sure the army's the place for you?" asked the man once his snickering cleared. He humbly offered Nina a hand and pulled her back to her feet.

"Doesn't matter at the moment," Oboro sighed while walking around to Nina's front. "That's important information you're carrying there, got it? You're in charge of it."

Nina blinked furiously. It was exactly what she wanted, and she never anticipated to get what she wanted so easily. Hoping to put on a good show, she awkwardly took the straps and readjusted them on her shoulders.

"You sure you want to make a _'_ _newbie_ _'_ responsible for something so important?"

"Oh, _trust me,_ I sure don't, but Lord Takumi does. With the spy on the prowl for that information, carrying that trunk's sorta like painting a target on your back. For a lack of better words, you're the most disposable of the four of us, so it looks like you're the lucky girl! You should feel privileged to carry those in Lord Takumi's place."

If she were sincerely a soldier belonging to the Hoshidan army, Oboro would have rubbed her the wrong way a _long_ time ago. Alas, she didn't have time for petty grudges. An urgent mission still breathed down her neck, and she intended to see it fulfilled. That didn't mean she didn't gaze at her superiors with daggers for eyes (when they weren't looking).

It took time for Nina to get adjusted to the new weight on her back, but not too long. Thankfully, Takumi no longer forced her to the very front of the party, having noticed the bulky backpack slowed her considerably. That still did not mean they did not pressure her to keep up her pace. Oboro and Hinata, at Takumi's command, kept a consistent eye on the girl in the meantime.

Nina had no clue where they were headed, but that was the least of her worries. Attempts to conjure up an escape plan took the forefront of her time, attention, and focus. Every scenario played out in her head, but they almost always ended poorly, and she was hesitant to put any plan into action. When she did put one into action, the other three would immediately see who she truly was, and she was in no position to blow her cover.

Luckily, her tireless thinking came with an intermission. En route to... _somewhere_... an interesting sight caught the four's eyes: two burly men escorting a small-framed woman, who pleaded excessively. They walked speedily down the hall as though they were in a hurry to get somewhere. Takumi, as one would expect, called out to them, and the two guards immediately drew to a halt and faced their prince.

"What's going on here?" The boy trudged up to the three, his retainers following closely.

"We've caught the spy, sir!" answered one man with a stoic face. His declaration only made the woman plea with more desperation.

"No, no! I'm not! I was just checking to make sure the spy wasn't in the treasury! I was just checking!"

"Shut up, you filthy Nohrian!" barked the other before turning to his prince. "She matches the description almost precisely, milord. She has long, white hair and fair skin. We caught her infiltrating the treasury!"

Sure enough, the woman did share similarities with Nina, except Nina did not have tears spilling out of her eyes by the bucketful. She made no attempts to escape, so she simply let herself be held up by her captors, who both tightly held either one of her wrists.

"Milord, you must believe me. The spy is still loose somewhere in the wall. If you choose to call _me_ the spy, you'll only give the real one more time to escape!"

Takumi was drawn to the girl like a magnet. Contrary to his princely status, he knelt to the woman's level and took her by the chin, which he pressed against to tilt her head up. He got a thorough look at her weeping face before allowing his brows to drop.

"Kazuha?" he asked out of the blue. The single word from her prince brightened the woman's eyes, and a grin spread across her face.

"Milord, you...you remember me?"

Nina's shoulders stiffened again. Great. Takumi knew the woman. So much for making a scapegoat out of her. Part of Nina was glad to see an innocent woman not punished on her behalf, but another part knew something so horrible might have been necessary.

"Thought she looked like that girl I always see in the mess hall," Hinata sighed. "Glad Lord Takumi recognized her, otherwise we would've made a huge mistake."

However, Takumi's expression darkened, and only the accused was the first to witness the sudden change. She cowered before him again, hope extinguished.

"Just as I thought," Takumi grumbled. "The spy did choose to be an imposter." Smugly, he smiled down at the prisoner. "See, Nohrian, you may think you're clever, but there's not a single 'Kazuha' in this wall. That's all the proof I need."

"No! Milord, one thousand pardons, but you're making a mistake! I am not the spy, and my name is Kazuha!"

Takumi's three followers, with expressions of sheer astonishment, watched as he turned from the woman, scowling at the burly soldiers standing stoutly before him.

"Take her to the keep. Don't lose her, and do not hurt her. She needs to be in good shape for my interrogation." The woman continued to wail in the meantime, refusing to quiet down when the soldiers barked at her. Out of respect, the two gave their prince a quick bow and proceeded to haul the captured away.

In the aftermath of the event, the three retainers had a moment of silence, awkwardly looking around in attempt to soak in all that had unfolded. Hinata in particular appeared to have a difficult time processing everything.

"Just like that, huh..." he spoke thoughtfully. "All this build up, all this tension... and the spy was captured just like that." He then shrugged carelessly as though he'd already gotten over it. "Huh. Whaddya know? It's a crazy world. I sure am glad we found that spy, though. Lord Takumi would've been in a bad mood if we never did."

"I sure would've," Takumi agreed while watching the two men turn around a corner. With them out of view, other things were allowed to take hold of his attention, such as Oboro. "You two responded well to this situation, just as I expected out of Hoshido's finest. Well done."

Excellent.

Nina knew she should've taken a moment of silence out of respect for the scapegoat, but that was the least of her concerns. What concerned her the most was getting away from Takumi and his gang. Fast. With her validity no longer under scrutiny, she felt more confident to make more risky movements, such as gently easing away from the group. Unfortunately for her, Takumi caught on far quicker than she would've liked.

"Mozu," he muttered after she'd taken a handful of steps away. "What're you doing?"

The girl's eyes widened, and she began eying around, hoping to put on a sort of innocent facade.

"Well... With the spy captured and all... I should get these back to the council room." She swung her arm around to give the trunk on her back a hefty slap. It responded with a low thump. "I'd hate for all this important stuff to get misplaced somewhere on accident."

"Except, if you went alone, that's precisely what'd happen. New people get lost here all the time, and I doubt you'd be any different," Oboro argued, much to Nina's chagrin. Her words clearly caught Takumi's favor, for he immediately nodded and motioned for her return.

"I want you to stay with us until we go back there. You don't need to be alone right now."

It was good she stood further away from them, for her cheeks grew spots of red, and her hands, with a slight quiver, became clammy. Nonetheless, she smacked a smile on her lips and nodded, then scampered over to them.

"Yes sir."

If they were not to return to the council room immediately, Nina couldn't help but wonder where they were headed instead.

Her best guess was that they needed to find someone, someone important, and relay the big news. The woman soldier was most certainly captured in her place, but that was not a license for Nina to throw all care out the window. The fear of stimulating their suspicions kept her from asking too many questions. Luckily, Oboro was there to ask for her.

"I suppose we're off to spread the news?"

"Definitely," Takumi replied. "The travelers outside the wall have been kept waiting for some time, so they deserve an explanation of the situation. I'd like to conduct an announcement."

Though Nina had no idea how they were going to get back outside, Takumi seemed to; as though he followed a map in his head, they strategically turned around certain corners, which led them to a stairwell that looked almost exactly like all the others. Slimy and slippery was the way to describe the stairs going to the dungeon, not the stairs scaling up the interior of the wall.

Nobody lost their footing even once, but that did not mean the journey was without its obstacles. Nina found the stairs, in addition to the weight on her back, exhausting, especially when she had to pick up her pace to keep up with her party. The poor thing feared the stairs never ended, but that was before they were deposited into a smaller hallway. At the end of it stood two burly guards, both watching Nina in particular with immense prejudice.

With ease, Takumi bought his passage past the men with a few words. The guards stepped aside, allowing him, Oboro, and Hinata through the door. When Nina scampered after them, the guards resurrected their formation to trap her in the hall, using their broad shoulders as barricades. She glanced at them awkwardly, noting their intimidating faces.

"It's okay. Let her through too," she heard Takumi say behind the men, who immediately obliged his command. With no time to waste, Nina stepped through the door and gave her thanks to Hinata, who charitably held it open for her. It surprised her to find that they were no longer within the wall, but on top of it instead.

A chilly breeze nipped at her skin. For a moment, she wondered why she did not feel her braids ride the draft, but that was before she was distracted by a realization: they were outside. Outside! She could practically taste her own freedom, fingers able to stroke its smooth, glossy skin. All she needed was a little extra reach so she could grab it.

It might've been harder to obtain than she originally thought, though. Lined across the top of the wall were uniform archers, one stationed behind every other battlement. They stood stoutly, yumis loaded with a shiny silver arrow. Their gaze was so attentive it didn't spend a second distracted by the sight that pooled below: a sea of travelers. Some were at the front of the wall, banging on the gates and demanding to be let in. Further back in the crowd, merchants, villagers, and farmers alike ceased their protests to pitch tents and start cooking fires. The warmth of the fire's light attracted those nearby, and for good reason: snow delicately fell from the sky, adding to the collection on the ground.

"Would you take a gander at that." Hinata wolf whistled afterward, hands on his hips. He squinted his eyes as he viewed the spectacle. "The wall shuts down for only a few hours and the line already gets this crammed. I can barely see the end of it." The draw distance was not optimal with the flurry weather.

"Goes to show just how many Hoshidans are in trouble," Oboro commented. "It's a miracle Emperor Ryoma is letting them stay near the capital. They'll be safe behind this wall."

The comment raised one of Nina's brows.

"Will there be enough room?"

"We'll jam them all in here if we must," Takumi grimaced at the sight of his troubled people. "It's better than dealing with hundreds of bloody villages and towns. Nohr's on its way, and it leaves destruction in its wake."

It truly was a wonderful thing for Ryoma to do for his countrymen. She'd heard of the thousands of desperate immigrants pouring into sanctuary to save their lives, but she'd never seen it, nor had she envisioned it in detail. Seeing it for the first time sent chills down her spine. Going off of Siegbert's somber reports, she had reason to believe King Garon would never do the same for his own people if the tables had been turned.

That didn't matter.

Peering over the side of the wall was a bigger deal than pondering, which was why she leaned over an unoccupied battlement to take a gander at the drop. The wall stood higher than she anticipated. Simply gazing at how small the crowd's heads looked made her head spin, so she backed away slowly. Oboro's prejudice eyes watched her the entire time.

"Afraid of heights, rookie?" asked the woman with two crossed arms.

"A tiny bit..." Nina shook her head in hopes of being able to focus again. "It's a long drop."

"Don't slip!" Hinata chuckled.

Slip.

What a good idea.

Nina peered over the side again. Her careful eyes searched for specific points of interest the second time, and what she found pleased her. If one were to slide down the wall, they would not face a steep, uninterrupted drop. Instead, one might bump into a few structural pillars or platforms for a handful of ballista cannons adorned on the wall's side. Those inexperienced would be in for a nasty fall should they be pushed off the wall's top, but one with considerable dexterity could certainly stick a safe landing. She could make things work... provided she didn't have countless archers gunning for her. If she were to jump when she thought everyone's guard was down, she would undoubtably raise suspicions, and she might not be able to escape before it rained arrows. But if the whole ordeal were portrayed as an accident... she would be home free with a motherload of information on her back.

She remained notably close to the edge, anxiously preparing herself for her show. The moment she worked up the courage to approach an opening in the battlement, though, it fled, dooming her back into timidness and inaction. A pressing deadline kept her from getting too lax, especially as she watched Takumi clear his throat and roughly beat his chest.

"My people!" he announced. Whether he managed to grab the attention of the crowd below was beyond her. Luckily, it didn't interest her either, which was why she zoned out, hoping to soothe her frantic nerves. Her hardening eyes stared at the ground, which was crafted from solid brick. Slush covered certain patches. It would behoove her to find a patch that looked especially icy, a patch unforgiving to feet. She settled on a promising area not too far from where Takumi stood speaking to his people.

Wordless, Nina turned around, gazing at the darkness that loomed beyond the horizon. It looked especially grim. She needed that grimness. It was a hefty dose of reality before it was time to put her plans into action. After slipping her head through her bow, she forced a yawn out of her lips, then lifted her arms up to stretch. She felt the scrolls shift in the trunk as she gradually leaned backward, weighing her further in her desired direction.

Hinata, having noticed her noteworthy movements, gave her his eye, as did Oboro, who suddenly tightened her grip on her naginata in anticipation. Nina's feet took her back slightly, allowing the weight to have its way... until she finally built up the momentum to shuffle around. Part of her pretended to be slipping, while another part struggled to keep control of her direction. Her feet scrambled around more until she felt it: the edge of the wall. With a yelp, she plummeted, calling for the help of her lord, whose speech came to a screeching halt.

Down below, the crowd ceased their rioting to gaze at the spectacle in shock after the girl landed on a cannon's platform. As she intended, the trunk on her back suffered the most of the impact, sparing her from a sprained ankle or worse. Quickly, she slipped her arms out of the straps, hopped onto her feet, and looked up at the crown of the wall. The archers, Takumi, Hinata, and Oboro gazed back down with as much shock as the crowd below. The sight made Nina chuckle darkly and pull her box back over her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Lord Takumi! I'm okay! I had the trunk to land on!" Nina exclaimed.

Back on top, Oboro scoffed with sheer disbelief.

"Just like you said, milord. She took the bait."

"I knew it," Takumi growled. In an instant, a teal arrow materialized in his hands, and he drew it back on the string of his Fujin Yumi. "Archers! Stop her! She's the one we're after! Aim for her legs or arms!"

Her pupils shrunk, for several arrows more took interest in her, gazing at her lustfully. With a hiss, she securely fastened the box once more and started to move again, careful not to remain still for long. She gracefully pounced off the platform, aiming to ensnare a banner with her hands. Up the banner she scaled until she could pull herself onto the flagpole, where she stood with excellent balance. An arrow whirred past her ear, evoking a crawling sensation that crept up her back and grabbed the back of her head. The sensation forced her to move immediately, using the flagpole to push off of. Two quivering, and clammy, hands caught the edge of the neighboring platform, and she climbed aboard.

Below, the terrified crowd scattered, for stray arrows began pelting the ground. Within moments, the mass pushed back, clearing the front of the wall. The sight made Nina smile. She had not yet reached a height where she could safely jump to ground level, but she could certainly get there soon. She'd be home free the second she could get on the ground, for all she'd need to do is make a break for the neighboring thicket.

An arrow stabbed her shell shortly after her feet were on solid ground, and the sound made her growl.

"What're these idiots trying to do? Kill me?" She trudged forth, decorated by a frustrated scowl. "Whatever. It's not like it'll be _too_ bad if I died here, I guess. It might make a few people sad, but everything I know will die with me." A few arrows more landed on the ground next to her, and it prompted her to quicken her pace. "Still doesn't make it preferable."

She dashed, but it wasn't a wise choice; soon into her sprint, her feet found another icy patch on the ground. She slipped, and, unfortunately, she wasn't faking it. Her body fell forward, and she crashed onto the cold, wet ground. Her hands struggled to support her as she brought herself back up, but they ended up slipping too. She was reduced to hissing and cursing, but none of it could get her out of the way quick enough. A sharp pain erupted in her calf, and she recognized the sensation immediately. One long howl escaped her lips, but she felt inspired to power her way onward. With doing, she eventually found herself back on her feet, but she easily crumbled at the authority of her quivering, and bloody, leg time and time again.

"Dammit, not now!" She shed the box from her back. It didn't matter if she escaped with it or not; what mattered was escaping alive. With the weight on her back gone, she used her all the strength in her arms to latch herself onto an icy water spout. Of course, she was slowed considerably by a bad leg. Her diminished speed catered to Takumi, who watched her from the top of the wall with an iron gaze. Hinata eagerly leaned over the battlement, eyes wide as he watched the escapee gently lower herself closer to the ground.

"M-Milord! She can still get away!"

Though Takumi did not even appear to acknowledge him, Oboro cleared her throat harshly.

"He's got it," she grumbled. In the meantime, their lord's focused eyes followed the girl, awaiting the perfect opening. His retainers' muscles tensed when he finally withdrew another arrow, which glowed in preparation for firing. His hand and arm, as if crafted from stone, did not move until it was time to let go. The arrow rushed away from them. As it drew closer to the girl, its trajectory gradually skewed until it struck the girl in her last good leg. A second scream followed, and they watched as she detached from the spout and plopped on the ground below. Takumi relaxed, and a proud smile spread across his lips. In the meantime, Oboro gave him a hefty pat on the back.

"You have good instincts, milord," she praised.

Obviously proud of his work, the boy simply nodded and looked down at his prey.

"Well, my instincts say we better hurry down there before she tries to crawl."


End file.
